Saturday, September 23, 2006 Speak out: MCWD board and Mactan Rock By Felix Y. Go
(This is an open letter to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña)
I read your comments in the newspapers against the draft contract for water supply from Carmen, Cebu.
As usual, I was impressed by your curt and clever observations, especially on the P200 million that the challenger will pay the Ayala consortium in case a lower price is offered and Ayala is not willing to match.
Another good point was about the board of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) being weak.
I am a Mactan resident and since the time that reports broke out about threats of Mactan’s water supply being shut down by MCWD supplier Mactan Rock, I was forced to monitor every development on the issue.
While I agree with you that the MCWD board has been weak in negotiating with Ayala, I also noticed that the board is strongly favoring Mactan Rock.
Firstly, while the case between MCWD and Mactan Rock was still with the Court of Appeals, the board looked aggressive in striking a multi-million peso compromise that the MCWD management was not willing to recommend unless Mactan Rock can submit receipts and other supporting documents.
Was there something fishy there?
Secondly, despite Mactan Rock’s attempt to garnish MCWD’s funds in several banks while negotiation was not yet closed, the MCWD board still appears to love Mactan Rock more.
Proof of this was that when the MCWD management looked for possible water sources to increase water supply in our place, Mactan, the board seemed to side with Mactan Rock when it investigated top management for doing it.
But is it not the function of MCWD to look for possible sources?
Malipay na lang unta mi, at least naay chance nga makalingkawas mi sa tubig sa Mactan Rock nga di man tuod makamatay pero ang color morag tuba.
Mayor, I know you were the one who appointed the members of the MCWD board. But if you think you need to change the MCWD management, I suggest you replace those you appointed to the board, too.
