Garcia hopes Ayala consortium is not influencing pro-water deal mayors

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is hoping that the Ayala consortium is not behind the stand of the three mayors who are pushing for the approval of the Carmen Bulk Water Supply deal that appeared to be disadvantageous to the water consumers.

"Well I hoped that they are not behind this. Because if they are, it's a very, very risky move - risky for them. And they can figure out what I mean," Garcia said.

Garcia does not want to step into the row involving Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Mandaue City Mayor Tadeo Ouano, Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob, Sr. and Compostela Mayor Antonio Dangoy.

Earlier, Osmeña suggested that those pushing for the approval of the deal by the National Economic Development Authority should be the ones to pay for the P200-million development cost.

Both Osmeña and Garcia agreed on one thing: that if the winning bidder in the Swiss Challenge would to pay the P200 million development cost, the burden will surely be passed on to consumers. This was the reason why they are opposing to the project proposal.

"I am opposed to the P200 million claim for development cost which any other bidder if they better the proposal of Ayala will be forced to pay. That will be peanuts I believe for any other serious bidder who would be prepared to spend billions on a project. But that P200 million will be passed on to the consumers in terms of additional centavos and pesos, which to a low earning family will be too heavy a burden to bear," she said.

When asked about what she could do to drop that particular provision of the memorandum of agreement signed by the Ayala consortium, Carmen municipal government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District, Garcia said: "Watch me. And watch out."

For his part, Ouano said the water project has been politicized with "somebody" who was not authorized keeps on talking about the deal "to make it appear that he is representing Metro Cebu."

In a statement, Ouano said the project is a "legitimate issue" for those living in the northern part of Metro Cebu, where the mayors and business leaders recognized the need to see more water flowing to spur economic development.

"We don't care who gets to supply the water, what we care about is our water," Ouano said.

"Kinsa man diay ang magbuot? Amo man ning tubig! Ayaw ninyo langan-langana kay masakripisyo mi dinhi kay among tuyo tubig para sa among lugar," he added. - Cristina C. Birondo/LPM