THE Bacolod City Council will hold a public hearing soon to discuss the reported privatization plan of Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa).
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said on Tuesday that Councilor Dindo Ramos, chair of committee on energy, will schedule the hearing anytime this week or next month.
Familiaran said he already received a letter from the Utilities Consumers Alliance of Negros (Ucan) headed by Fr. Ernie Larida, requesting them to call a public hearing to discuss the unsolicited proposal of MetroPac Water Investments Corp. (MWIC) to Baciwa to form a joint venture corporation.
MWIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).
The vice mayor added that Ucan’s letter will be included in the agenda of the regular session today so they can act on it.
“It already involves public interest so we need to address this issue,” Familiaran said. “We will listen the pros and cons of the unsolicited proposal since we don't have a copy of the proposal.”
Vicente Petierre III, counsel of Ucan, had earlier said they will come up with a position paper because they believe the proposal is not only for the rehabilitation of Baciwa, but also for the plan to privatize the water district.
General assembly
Meanwhile, the Baciwa management will hold a general assembly today to discuss MWIC’s proposal for a build-operate-transfer scheme.
Claudio Salmo, president of Baciwa Employees Union, said the general assembly was set by general manager Mario Macatangay after the MWIC made the presentation before the Baciwa employees Monday.
“There are employees especially the retirables who already submitted their retirement papers, but we’re not acted yet by the management. They are in favor of the privatization especially upon learning that MWIC will offer 200 percent benefits,” Salmo said.
He admitted that they may only delay the privatization, but they cannot stop it because it will still be the Baciwa Board who will decide on the matter based on the 2013 Guidelines of the National Economic and Development Authority.
Jonet Sanalila, MWIC business development manager, who met with the Baciwa employees Monday, said they expect a positive result of their unsolicited proposal.
“This will be a joint venture between our company and Baciwa and we will not take over the whole managemen,” he clarified. (MPE/TDE)