City to evaluate MOA it signed with MCWD

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City will review the memorandum of agreement it signed with the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to see whether the deal indicates clear cut benefits for the city.

Vice Mayor Alan Bucao, during the council’s regular session yesterday morning, said that to get a clearer picture of the agreement, he has proposed that the council, together with city legal officer Owen Algoso, review the MOA.

The agreement was reportedly signed by then Mayor Dehlia Tiu in 1993 and some MCWD officials. In the MOA, the water district is allowed to extract water from Talisay’s Mananga River and make a reservoir in barangay Lagtang.

However it is not clear the local government is benefiting from the deal.

Reportedly it was only during the term of former Mayor Eduardo R. Gullas, 2001-2004, that MCWD gave Talisay its share of its income in terms of “royalty,” said Councilor Rodi Cabigas in an interview.

Cabigas, who also wants the contract reviewed “as soon as possible,” described the whole deal “disadvantageous” to the people of Talisay.

“We will have this whole thing reviewed as soon as possible. We’ll scrutinize this MOA to find out if the Talisaynons are benefiting from it. Kay kung wala, might as well pursue the plan of putting up our own waterworks here. Naa tay abundang tubig. All we need now is a project plan and a budget, then we are all set,” said Cabigas, who is former chairman on council committee on Public Works and Infrastructure.

In yesterday’s session, upon the motion of city Councilor Arturo Bas, the council also agreed to summon officials from the MCWD to explain why there are barangays in the city that have low water supply. Bas has called it “unfair” considering that the city is the source of MCWD’s bulk water supply, as it has a reservoir in the upland village of Lagtang.

“This is unfair. Ang reservoir is in barangay Lagtang, pero nganong mawad-an man mi og tubig sa Lagtang?” Bas said.

Bas is one of the many MCWD concessionaires who had complained recently over poor service extended by the water district.

Although Bas’ motion was approved, the date when the MCWD officials are to meet the council face to face has not yet been set. – THE FREEMAN