BACOLOD City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., chairman of the Bacolod Water Consumers Watch Inc. (BWCWI), defended on Sunday the move of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) to undertake a bulk water supply project.
Gamboa said in a press statement that the move of Baciwa will definitely not lead to privatization of the water district or “the privatization of water” in general.
There is nothing “privatization” in the transaction of the bulk water supply project as Baciwa is not concerned with the source or the “water extraction technology” that will deliver water to injection points, he said.
Gamboa said Baciwa will rather dictate the cost of water since “according to its terms of reference (TOR) the price of water it will purchase from contractors or suppliers is at P10 per cubic meter for 25 years.”
The contractor will just supply water to Baciwa. He added that the contractor cannot join the management, supervision, control, and regulation on matters affecting Baciwa.
“Baciwa is a quasi-government institution, which is self-liquidating and self-reliant, attached with proprietary power/functions to generate income. It cannot rely on taxes alone to provide all the basic needs and services that they provide thus the engagement of bulk water purchase transaction with private contractors and suppliers,” the written records of the BWCWI read.
Gamboa added that the BWCWI will see to it that strict implementation of Baciwa TOR will be observed that is, “The ceiling price per cubic meter for this contract shall be P10 per cubic meter inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) and inclusive of all applicable government taxes for the next 25 years.”
“The Water Watchdog (referring to BWCWI) will watch, and stand if there is an unreasonable rate increase in the price of water, exorbitant fees and charges impose arbitrary and capricious policies that will go against consumers rights," he said.
Gamboa noted that the current water supply could hardly meet the demands of the increasing population as well as the economic and industrial development of Bacolod City thus, the need for said bulk water purchase which is most feasible among alternatives.(CNC)