CEBU, Philippines - The municipal government of Tabuelan is asking the Capitol that it be allowed to take over the construction of the P12.4 million waterworks system that has been stalled for almost three years now.
Tabuelan officials led by Mayor Rex Casiano Gerona requested Governor Hilario Davide III to rescind the memorandum of agreement that the municipal government and the Province of Cebu has entered into in April 2012 for the construction of the project.
The request is still pending before the Provincial Board, which needs to give Davide the authority to rescind the contract.
The agreement was signed by Gerona and then governor Gwendolyn Garcia. Gerona said Davide has been amenable to rescind the agreement and allow the municipal government to finish the project.
The waterworks system would serve the constituents of the mountain barangays of Kanlim-ao, Kanluhangon, Kantubaon, Mabunao and Villahermosa, all of Tabuelan.
Gerona said that the contractor of the project had already received over P9 million out of the total phase I contract price of P12.4 million.
“Until the present, the project is still unfinished and has not yield a single drop of potable water for the constituents of the aforementioned barangays to enjoy,” read the council resolution.
It was earlier agreed that the construction of the project shall be implemented and undertaken by the province.
The operation and management of the said water system shall be undertaken by the municipality subject to applicable rules and regulations and consultation with the Province.
The 50 percent of the gross proceeds and revenues of the operations of the water system shall accrue to the province and the remaining 50 percent shall accrue to the Municipality to be used exclusively in the operation, management and maintenance of the water system. (FREEMAN)