ILOILO City – Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) is preparing for a long legal battle with Mayor Jose Espinosa III who appointed new directors to the water district’s Board of Directors (BOD).
“I don’t know when this legal battle on the new appointments will end. We will challenge it,” said General Manager Imelda Magsuci who used to head the water district in Davao City.
She said Espinosa’s move won’t stop affect MIWD’s joint venture with MetroPac Water Investments Corp. (MWIC) finalized in December 2017.
“The joint venture will go on. But if Espinosa’s appointees get to sit on the BOD, there could be adverse effects,” said Magsuci.
Espinosa wanted MIWD to defer the joint venture as early as December last year. He warned it would result to higher water rates.
But MIWD ignored Espinosa and pushed through with its P12.349-billion joint venture.
The 25-year deal involved the rehabilitation, upgrading, expansion, operation, and maintenance of MIWD’s water distribution facilities.
It also included wastewater management services and additional water supply in excess of MIWD’s currently contracted bulk water supply.
“We don’t want nga ma-hamper ang services that we are delivering to the public,” said Magsuci.
She assured the public MIWD was unfazed by Espinosa’s latest move.
There is no vacancy in the BOD so there could be no new appointments yet and the question on who should be the appointing authority of the BOD is yet to be resolved in court, according to MIWD legal counsel Roy Villa.
JOE SEEKS REVIEW
In appointing new MIWD directors, Espinosa admitted he wanted a “review” of the water district’s policies and programs.
“Gusto ko gid tan-awon, review-hon. We should know. I was talking to the chairman of the city council’s committee on public utilities. Councilor R Leone Gerochi was not even consulted,” said Espinosa.
There is an MIWD request for an increase in water rates with the Local Water Utilities Administration, according to Espinosa.
He welcomed MIWD’s plan to sue him, saying it should “clear things up once and for all.”
Espinosa insisted he was exercising a prerogative – appointing new directors to the MIWD – based on a Supreme Court ruling.
“I don’t want to be accused of being remiss in my function as appointing authority,” he stressed.
Espinosa had long been lamenting the city government’s apparent lack of voice in MIWD’s operations even if the water district was primarily created for Iloilo City.
“Nga indi man ma-disadvantage ang syudad,” said Espinosa. “Sa matrix nila kag mga charges, kita man gihapon iguon sina.”
“Wala gid kita sang say sa MIWD. Wala kita nakahibalo sang nagahinabo subong. How are they negotiating with private entities? Waay gid kita ‘ya bala sang partisipasyon,” said Espinosa.
MIWD GOALS
Under the 25-year deal of MIWD and MetroPac, the following must be achieved in the first five years:
* increase service coverage
* increase areas with 24/7 water supply at a minimum pressure of 10 psi
* continuous compliance with Philippine Standards for Drinking Water
* reduction of nonrevenue water (water losses)
* efficient and responsive customer service
* construction of septage treatment plant subject to the issuance of any applicable governmental approvals, and purchase of new desludging trucks
MIWD’s service area is some 373 square kilometers covering this city and seven municipalities in Iloilo province.
According to the water district, however, its operation only reaches around 21 percent of its coverage area.
MIWD also placed its nonrevenue water at around 47 percent.
Espinosa warned “there won’t be any rollback in the water rate unlike in fuel” once MIWD pushed through with its joint venture with MWIC.
“Kon dako imo investment, dako man imo increase. Indi lang nga bawion mo ang imo investment, may ginansya pa. Ti sin-o ang hul-an?” said Espinosa./PN
