BY JOEL C. ESCOL, Managing Editor
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Executives from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) met City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy Wednesday and discussed with the mayor LWUA’s temporary take over of the Cagayan de Oro Water District.
This, as COWD and COBI’s dispute on unsettled bills amounting to over P47-Million, failed to reach a win-win solution for both parties, until COBI’s final deadline last April 30, 2024.
LWUA’s intervention and take over also came after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr has called on Metro Pacific Waters President and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan to stop COBI from implementing its cut off of water connections to COWD service areas.
The president also instructed LWUA to temporarily take over COWD and find solutions to the water crisis in the city.
In his FB page, the mayor said he acknowledged LWUA’s decision and expressed his hope that they would mediate the contractual dispute between COWD and the Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI).
During the meeting with LWUA officials, led by Chairperson Ronnie L. Ong, Mayor Uy shared his concerns about the 2017 contract between COWD and COBI, which mandates an automatic increase in bulk water rates every three years.
Mayor Uy urged LWUA officials to ensure that the residents of Cagayan de Oro are not subjected to another water cut-off. He also called on LWUA and COBI to respond to President Marcos’ appeal for unity in addressing the city’s water crisis.
In his speech in the city on May 16, 2024, the president stated, “Hindi natin hahayaan na mapagkaitan ang mga taga Cagayan de Oro ng kanilang karapatan na magkaroon ng sapat, malinis, ligtas na supply ng tubig.”
Mayor Uy reiterated the City Government’s commitment to protecting the general welfare, as provided in the Local Government Code and the Constitution, from unjust water rates and ensuring access to sufficient, clean, and safe water. The mayor also revealed his willingness to meet with Metro Pacific Waters President and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan.
“I wrote to MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) after the president’s visit,” Mayor Uy said, but he has not yet received a response from the business mogul.
DETRIMENTAL
Mayor Uy has earlier said that the increase in water rates every three years is detrimental to the water consuming public and grossly violates the rights of every Filipino to clean and potable water.
Uy said he would do all his best to stop this provision in the contract entered into by COWD and COBI a few years ago.
Meanwhile, former Vice Mayor Rainier “Kikang Uy” in an interview with MDN said the contract was not made public so that even the City Council members didn’t know the contract existed.
Former Vice Mayor Uy said had COWD and COBI provided the copy they requested before, the City Council would have questioned this provision in the contract regarding the increase in every three years. ###
