COUNCILOR Wilson Gamboa Jr. made the call in the proposed joint venture agreement (JVA) of Baciwa with private firm PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp.
The city councilor urged the Bacolod local government to study alternative solutions for the water supply problem here, as he sought a review of the operation and fund management of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa).
I had no issue with a JVA. More and more governments are calling for creating synergy between the public and private sectors.
The passage of the “Build– Operate–Transfer” Law (Republic Act No. 6957) passed in July 9, 1990 has authorized JVAs where a private contractor undertakes the BOT scheme.
BOT projects include those with social and/or environmental objectives. They can be social infrastructure (e.g., health clinics and school buildings) or projects to protect or rehabilitate the environment (e.g., reforestation, sewerage, and solid waste management systems).
But I agree with the councilor that “the stakeholders and the people of Bacolod must first be apprised of the true status of Baciwa, both financially and technically.”
Gamboa said “To the local government unit, it is imperative for us now to review and scrutinize the management of Baciwa in terms of revenue operation, personnel management, and the most important one, on how the funds of Baciwa is being handled and managed.”
I had my doubts with Baciwa Board and management. Chair Lorendo Dilag who in an earlier statement assured that once the public-private partnership is approved, the consumers should not worry since they will be protected.
Really? Why do Alijisnons have no water from 7 am to 11 pm daily? The proof of the pie is in the eating, after all.
Otherwise, promises are just simply empty promises.
We pay our monthly bills so we can be assured of the lack of the water the whole day and evening.