OVER three years ago, the Home and Land Use Regulatory Board called the attention of Robinson's Homes for installing substandard water pipes in Robinsons Highlands in Buhangin, Davao City. This was unearthed after the Robinsons Highlands Homeowners Association Inc. sent a letter request to the Davao City Water District to migrate them from the subdivision's water supply to the water utility.
By coincidence, I just transferred to the same subdivision and was just appointed by then mayor Rodrigo Duterte to fill vacancy left by a mutual friend, the late Charlie Aldevera, as member of the board of DCWD. The subdivision's water supply pump would conk out so often that I always had two plastic drums of water for bath and washing of utensils and five gallons of bottled on standby because supply of water from the subdivision would last for days.
The issue was later elevated to the office of Councilor Bonifacio Militar, who chairs housing committee for a hearing.
In attendance were the head of HLURB, officials of Robinsons Homes, officials of RHHAI and management of DCWD. I attended that meeting both as member of RHHAI and as member of the board of DCWD as Chairman of Community Relations Committee.
Militar who was into his last term as a member of the city council, held several hearings which ended in a sanction against Robinsons Homes which include an order that it should replace all the sub-standard distribution pipes in Robinsons Highlands.
DCWD also agreed to provide water connections to the homeowners.
Within the week Robinsons Homes proceeded to dig and I saw this with my own eye because they started in a street corner near my house. In less than two weeks however, the workers stopped and to date they have not even repaved what they dug.
The misery of the subdivisions persisted.
Later, I learned that there were about five houses which were drawing water from the existing DCWD pipe that ran through the Panorama Homes. (Robinsons Homes bought the unsold lots from Panorama.) My luck is that the DCWD pipe runs right on my doorstep. I had water connected about a year ago. Residents along that pipeline may apply for water connections.
Councilor Boni Militar is back after a three-year hiatus. HLURB had slept on its duty and has not awakened from its stupor. As to how many reasons why, I hate to speculate. But I found out later on that Robinsons Homes had another housing project next to Robinsons Highlands in an area which used to be a water way. These days, when it rains the CP Garcia Highway (diversion road) is flooded.
Again, we appeal to Councilor Militar for intervention. What had been agreed by the parties during your watch and incumbency then were totally ignored.