Gwen, Tom jointly endorse candidates to MCWD board

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Mayor Tomas Osmeña have already endorsed for appointment two new members of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District board.

The newly-named MCWD board members are retired chemical engineer Leo Pacaña who used to work for American engineering companies, and former Cordova town mayor Adelino Sitoy.

Pacaña was nominated by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Sitoy is to represent the professional sector and to provide representation for the province in response to the concerns raised by certain sectors that somebody should represent the interest of the province.

The two are going to replace outgoing MCWD board members Rico Tautho and Ruben dela Cerna whose terms are going to expire on December 31.

Capitol consultant on information Pablo John Garcia said the appointment of the two was reached by a consensus between the governor and the mayor.

Both Garcia and Osmeña already signed the appointing papers of the two yesterday, these will be turned over to the MCWD board for confirmation.

Pablo John also said there would have been another appointee, Talisay city resident Chito Teleron, but he died before he could be appointed.

His appointment would have been in response to the clamor of the Talisay City government that there should be a representative from their city being the primary source of MCWD water.

"So we hope that these appointments would provide a boost to the MCWD board considering that Engr. Pacaña is a chemical engineer and Mr. Sitoy is a lawyer because I think they would need a lawyer at the MCWD board," he said, "Tautho is the only lawyer there so I think we need a lawyer there especially since a lot of legal questions to be tackled by the MCWD."

"We have a common endorsement and common appointee. It's easy to work with the governor," he added. - Cristina C. Birondo and Garry B. Lao