MCWD sued for hiking rates

At least five people lodged a complaint before the court against the Metro Cebu Water District for its implementation of a water rate increase on July 1.

Aside from the MCWD, the Local Water Utilities Administration was also named defendant in the case, which asked the court to issue an urgent temporary restraining order against the rate increase.

The petitioners, Deolito Alvarez, Nestor Nuez, Joselito Lopez, Vicente Espina and Esteban Colasito, claimed that the rate increases implemented by MCWD in September 2005 and on July 1 were illegal because they lack the approval from the National Water Resources Board.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had issued Executive Order 123 on September 12, 2002 directing the LWUA to stop regulating the water districts' rates, and delegating such function to the NWRB.

But despite the order, the LWUA still approved the MCWD proposal for a rate increase effective July 1.

The petitioners also asked the court to order the MCWD to reveal all rate increases implemented based on LWUA's approval since 1996. They also wanted the water firm to refrain from enforcing the rate increase pending the outcome of the case in court.

According to the petitioners, the court should immediately act on the petition because "the water consumers, especially the less privileged, are already groaning under the yoke of escalating oil prices, skyrocketing cost of basic commodities, increasing electric rates, soaring tuition fees and stagnant wages." - Rene U. Borromeo