Borbon will utilize P50 million in assistance from the Cebu Provincial Government to rehabilitate and expand its water distribution system to benefit thousands of households.
Mayor Nico Dotillos stated on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, that the funding will help resolve long-standing distribution problems compounded by a dispute with Savs Borbon Cebu Water Corp.
The expanded pipeline network is expected to serve an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 households in coastal communities, with the municipality aiming for full operation in less than a year.
BORBON will use P50 million in assistance from the Cebu Provincial Government to rehabilitate and expand its water distribution system, with the initial phase expected to benefit thousands of households in the Municipality’s coastal areas.
Borbon Mayor Nico Dotillos said Tuesday, Aug. 25, that the assistance will allow the Municipality to undertake water-system improvements that it could not fully fund on its own.
The mayor said Borbon has sufficient water sources but has long struggled to distribute water reliably to its communities.
“For so long, problem sa water distribution but the distribution has been a huge problem, and currently, finally nabawi na ang right to distribute the water,” Dotillos said.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro announced the P50 million allocation on June 4 during the distribution of calamity assistance to earthquake-affected families in Borbon.
The Provincial Government said the funding will support the rehabilitation and improvement of Borbon’s water system.
Water system dispute
Borbon’s water problems have been compounded by a dispute between the local government and Savs Borbon Cebu Water Corp., which operated the town’s water system under a 25-year agreement.
On Jan. 22, the Municipal Council cancelled the agreement following complaints from residents and a petition signed by local leaders.
The local government subsequently took over operations of the Borbon water system and directed the Borbon Water District to begin collecting payments from consumers.
Savs, however, reportedly continued collecting payments and disputed the cancellation. Savs president Arlene Villaruel argued that the contract was terminated without proper legal procedure and said the company had not formally been given the equipment and assets needed to fulfill its obligations.
The dispute prompted the local government to pursue legal action to remove Savs from government property.
Dotillos said the Municipality inherited years of problems in the water system that cannot be resolved overnight.
P40M pipe estimate
Initial estimates placed the cost of replacing the system’s pipes at P40 million, but engineers later determined that the actual cost could be higher as the distribution network is expanded.
Dotillos said the P50 million provincial allocation will be used to expand the pipeline network serving coastal communities.
“She gave us P50 million and this is a very big impact, not just to the municipality, but also to the people,” Dotillos said.
The expanded network is expected to serve an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 households, according to Dotillos.
He said the municipality aims to bring the coastal network into full operation in less than a year.
Upland communities next
After the coastal areas, the Municipality plans to focus on upland barangays, where difficult terrain and limited water sources present additional challenges, Dotillos said.
The Provincial Government has also expressed willingness to support future water projects in the municipality. / CDF