ON WORLD Water Day, the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) Employees Union reiterated their call to rescind the joint venture agreement between BACIWA and Prime Water Infrastructure Corporation, a Villar-owned company.

After more than two years, nothing new was introduced by the joint venture, the statement said.

The union also called for the return of the 59 illegally dismissed employees of BACIWA, despite having won the legal battle. BACIWA management is deaf and blind to the Civil Service Commission-Region 6 ruling, and their demand to return to work.

Moreso, the consumers were made to bear the 12 percent value added tax imposed by the joint venture company, it said.

The employees union urged the water consumers of Bacolod to stand up against the JVA and "assert our right to clean water by ending the disadvantageous and illegal agreement entered into by the Board of Directors of BACIWA."* (PR)