Monday, October 06, 2008 Valdehuesa: Local statemanship By Manuel Valdehuesa Street Talk
IT'S a trying day in a democracy when, because officials do not always focus on what concerns the public interest, citizens must betake themselves to rouse them. Today is such a day in our city.
At 3:00 this afternoon, taking time off from work, family, livelihood and other concerns, Cagayanos from all walks of life will take the step citizens must take in order to push a matter of the highest import.
They will assemble on the steps of the Cathedral, walk over to their City Hall, and petition their servant-in-chief, the mayor along with the City Council, to recognize the people's right to secure for themselves their basic life support - water.
The issue: water service and its cavalier management. The problem: an oligarchic structure at the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) which vests control of this life-giving resource to a cabal of six individuals with dubious credentials, suspect motives, and uncertain loyalty.
The solution: turn the city's water service into a cooperative so it will be managed according to the tried-and-tested tenets of democratic governance.
This initiative is called for because the acts -- of omission and commission - of the COWD's board of directors have cast a cloud on their view of the common good, confusing public service as self-service on occasion.
Except for one who represents the local water utilities administration (LWUA) in Manila, the members of the board are appointees of the former mayor now vice mayor who seems to abhor his presiding job at the City Council.
The five appointees are: an ex-executive of a drum-beating radio station who is a commerce graduate and an Ilonggo; an announcer of another station who is an undergraduate; a lawyer and ex-fiscal; an alleged barrister and cooperative advocate; and an Ilonggo dentist (married to a Tagoloanon) who is expected to take off on a Golden Parachute soon.
Spearheaded by the regional council of cooperatives, the short walk to City Hall will be joined by the pioneers and administrators of the largest, most prestigious, and best performing cooperative institutions not only of the city and region but of the nation. Many non-government organizations and personalities will be there too.
This is an initiative that all right-thinking Cagayanos should support. For it has a compelling case for asking that water-service subscribers themselves manage the COWD through the tried-and-tested, democratic method of successful cooperatives.
Just as electricity is managed by an electric cooperative or irrigation by an irrigators' cooperative, so should water be managed by a water service cooperative.
There are good reasons for doing so now because COWD's oligarchic structure has resulted in chronic mismanagement: (1) appointees of powerful politicos tend to think they are untouchable; (2) political protégés owe their loyalty to their patron, not to the constituents; (3) this makes them behave as if they own instead of owe the office to the people; and so (4) they manage the service with little or no regard for transparency or accountability.
Result: bad governance -- and water, an absolute human need, becomes an absolute monopoly or milking cow.
A study by the cooperative council has unearthed a record of irresponsibility - cavalier handling of finances, reckless opportunism, disregard of established guidelines. Some details will boggle the mind of a simple Cagayano.
It goes to show that an oligarchy is not a suitable management structure for a public service institution. Democracy requires consent-of-the-governed; nay, that the people not only consent but be in control of so important a matter as their basic life-support system - water.
Like air, water should not be left to the discretion of a cabal whose claim to its management springs from nepotism and political connection. Managing water for a growing metropolis like Cagayan de Oro requires competence, probity, a public service orientation, and subscriber confidence. Else the common good cannot be served. But persistent questions swirl around the actuations and fitness of the COWD board.
Loyalty is a point of contention: Is it owed to the appointing power or to the people whence emanate the power to appoint? Between public interest and narrow vested interest, where should stewards of water service stand? Is it right for stewards to leave the public stewing in exasperation at their lack of transparency, accountability, or sense of responsibility?
Feathering one's nest is graft and corruption. Is it right for members of a public utility board to insist on meeting weekly, with or without a worthy agenda, rain or shine, even if ill or hospitalized, so they can maximize earnings on fabulous per diems?
Is it ethical for directors of a medium-size city agency to vote themselves close to a million pesos in annual allowances, privileges or perks -- plus a huge retirement pay-off?
As for efficiency: Why is systems loss so high, necessitating added charges to cover the loss? And why aren't water charges low considering that it is a monopoly with high profitability, with captive subscribers whose number is unlikely ever to diminish?
Constituents have a right to demand answers to such questions. If responses are not forthcoming or satisfactory, they are by rights entitled to demand not only a change of management but an overhaul of the system of management. Resolving this issue will test the statesmanship of the mayor and the councilors.
And, not least, it is simply unseemly that the city of golden friendship and opportunity should be treated as if it lacks qualified professionals; that therefore it must rely upon political protégés of uncertain provenance to manage its most basic need.
Details? Check with Searsolin's Dr. Boy Mercado, FICCO's Atty. Proc Sarmen, CDA's Director Orlan Ravanera, able Atty. Nonong Neri, even Atty. Mords Cua!
A former UN executive and co-organizer of Quezon City's Katipunan Cooperative Credit Union Inc., Manny writes Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.
