The Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) has asked the opinion of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) if they can pay the Bacolod Bulk Water Inc. (BBWI) in spite of the latter’s non-compliance to the contract.
Lawyer Lorendo Dilag, chairman of the Baciwa Board, said Wednesday, July 10, they already sent a letter to OGCC eight months ago.
“We are still waiting for their (OGCC) reply. We are trying to be fair with the BBWI because they had rendered good service to the people of Bacolod,” he said.
Dilag said they sought for OGCC’s opinion to reconcile the problem, making it safe for Baciwa to release an amount for payment while the BBWI continues to supply water.
As much as possible, this is to solve whatever problem they have especially on the right of way, he also said.
The official added that BBWI has been delivering water since 2017 yet not paid until now. The unpaid amount is already pegged at P47 million.
Baciwa had earlier served a notice of violation to the BBWI for committing major violations in the contract with Baciwa for bulk water supply for Injection Point I in Barangay Granada.
The BBWI is a consortium majority owned and led by Tubig Pilipinas Inc. Group.
Through the Ngalan water treatment plant, it is currently supplying more than 15, 000 cubic meters of potable water to the water district.
The Injection Point II in Murcia also failed to deliver water since last year due to right of way issues.
Dilag said the BBWI is also doing their best to fix its problem so they can have the right of way in Injection Points No.1 and No. 2.
“Amid the non-payment, the BBWI assured us that they will continue to deliver water and they were also asking our help so they can sustain its water delivery,” Dilag said, adding that “it’s also our stand that we will not pay them as long as they cannot comply the contract, hopefully we can fix this.”
The BBWI, for its part, earlier vowed to comply and remain committed to solve the water woes in the city through adhering to legal procedures in addressing complaints in the proper forum, one by one.
It committed to deliver 15 million liters of water per day from its Injection Point No. 1 and another 15 million liters per day from Injection Point No. 2.