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BY MAE SINGUAY
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January 23, 2018
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Justify P13 fee hike, Baciwa told
BACOLOD City – A consumer group is demanding a “thorough explanation” on the P13 increase in the Meter Repair and Maintenance Fee (MRMF) of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa).
The MRMF, which was renamed the Service Connection and Maintenance Fee, will now cost P15 from its P2 original price, not P13 as inaccurately reported in this paper yesterday (Jan. 22, 2018).
The fee increase will take effect starting February, according to a Jan. 16 notice that Baciwa general manager Juliana Carbon issued.
Water Watch secretary-general Wennie Sancho said Baciwa must justify the increase, which Carbon called “just minimal.”
Sancho suggested that Baciwa must have constant dialogues with water advocates, nongovernment organizations, homeowners’ associations, and other stakeholders.
He believed that these “transparency meetings” will improve the services that Baciwa offers.
“Baciwa consumers should participate in the decision-making process,” Sancho said.
Baciwa must also hold a general assembly for its concessionaires to be “fully informed,” especially about the bulk water project of the city, he added.
The contractor of the city’s bulk water project is the Bacolod Bulk Water, Inc., a consortium of three companies: the Mactan Rock Industries, Inc., the Tubig Pilipinas Group, Inc. and the TGV Builders.
All of these meetings are for “transparency and accountability,” Sancho stressed.
Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. also said he will file tomorrow a resolution urging Baciwa to explain the fee increase and give an update on the bulk water project.
Carbon earlier said Baciwa’s maintenance fee has not been increased since 1973./PN
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