By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) Board of Directors has already chosen an interim general manager.
It picked Mario Macatangay from among four candidates from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), said Board secretary Marichi Ramos.
Macatangay will officially assume the post once the LWUA Board of Trustees issues a resolution on his appointment, Ramos told Panay News.
Asked to give further details during a phone interview, the Baciwa director declined, saying she was busy with tasks.
It was learned that, at the time, there was unrest at Baciwa — employees were holding a noise barrage after Ramos and fellow directors Lawrence Villanueva and Lorendo Dilag allegedly forcibly entered the water district premises.
Aside from Macatangay, other candidates for interim general manager were Renato Anyog, Rei Bernardo and Edwin Reyes.
Baciwa’s Board placed General Manager Juliana Carbon under a 30-day preventive suspension, but Carbon claimed that her suspension was null and void, saying there was lack of quorum when the Board decided on it.
Carbon continued to serve as general manager, even as the Board appointed Darwin Destacamento as officer-in-charge supposedly to replace Carbon while awaiting LWUA to appoint an interim general manager.
The Association of Negros Occidental Water Districts earlier approved a resolution condemning Carbon’s suspension.
Member-general managers believe Carbon’s suspension was not in line with Civil Service Commission rules.
Signing the resolution were general managers Jesus Pedro Zaldariaga of Cadiz Water District; Jesus Antonio Locsin of Silay Water District; Ronulfo Yap of La Castellana Water District; Ricardo Regalia Jr. of Kabankalan Water District; Manfred Fuentesfina of Sagay Water District; Lilian Arias of Escalante Water District; Paulino Cruz (represented by Abrahan De Dios Jr.) of Victorias Water District; Winston Makilan of Murcia Water District; Suzette Saragoza of Binalbagan Water District; and Joel Gellecanao of Himamaylan Water District./PN
