Bzzzzz: Threat on MCWD directors 'dramatizes' water crisis

Photos from MCWD website and SunStar
Photos from MCWD website and SunStar

CEBU City Councilor Raymond Garcia Tuesday (September 24) asked in his privileged speech before the City Council for the heads of the board of directors of MCWD because of the still-unsolved water shortage in Metro Cebu. The City Council however merely expressed "dismay" over the directors' performance and urged the mayor to exercise his authority over the water district officials.

The move against the MCWD officials, coming as it did from two legislatures (the Provincial Board and the Cebu City Council), inevitably raised the suspicion of politics. A broadcaster, Jason Monteclar of dyCM radio, Thursday (September 26) asked Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon if it is not "a power grab," particularly in Councilor Raymond's demand for the directors' dismissal. (The PB just asked the ombudsman to look into possible charges against the MCWD officials.)

The threat also "dramatizes" the water problem, which may help spur moves to solve it before the next drought comes.

Dizon admitted the water shortage but defended the sitting directors, in effect asking why they should be punished for a problem that has plagued Metro Cebu for so long now.

Most of the directors are appointees of BOPK head and former mayor Tomas Osmeña and Labella is suspected of wanting to kick them out so he can put his own people in their place.

The condition that the mayor publicly attached to his warning to firing the MCWD directors is "if they don't shape up." What does that mean? Does he expect them to solve the water crisis before the next drought comes or during their term of service? Besides that threat is good only until 2022 when Labella steps down, unless he wins another term.

The element of politics here is how the mayor can use the MCWD problem to improve his political stock or, failing in that, how it may help his opponent make him a single-term mayor.

The filling of MCWD posts with his own appointees might help his political plans but it could also deprive him of the excuse that he is hampered in his handling of the crisis.

Water 'no longer cheap"

[1] In an executive session of the Cebu City Council last May 2, 2019, in which MCWD general manager Eugenio Singson and community affairs manager Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara briefed the councilors on the water problem, they "admitted MCWD couldn't address the high demand for water."

Kara pushed for cheaper power for MCWD suppliers "so the price of water will not be so high." They asked the city to help the public understand that "water is no longer cheap."

[2] The MCWD officials' short-term and medium-term solutions to the problem, as they disclosed in the May executive session included tapping surface water sources in Lusaran and Mananga; pure seawater desalination; ground water wells, catchment facilities; and other "water supply projects already on the pipeline.

[3] Did you know that MCWD tried to stop a water developer, one Margarita Adala, in her application to operate a water work system in Bulacao, Pardo? The case (MCWD vs Margarita A. Adala, G.R.# 168914, July 4, 2007) reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that granting exclusive rights under a franchise on public utilities is "repugnant" to the Constitution.

[4] Capitols' attack on the right of the Cebu City mayor to appoint MCWD directors started with a letter written in July 2002 by then Cebu governor Pablo Garcia, Gwen's dad, to MCWD. It was picked up by the daughter during her term in a litigation resolved by the Supreme Court.

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