TWO councilors sought to repeal an ordinance granting franchise to South Balibago Resources Inc. (SBRI) to distribute water in Jaro district and authorizing the city mayor to sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA).
Councilor Joshua Alim and Plaridel Nava, during the City Council session on April 10, proposed to revoke the ordinance passed on April 12, 2016 that enlists the assistance offered by SBRI to address the public's clamor for water services in Jaro.
Alim said his intention was primarily to put a "correction of the previous mistakes," citing a Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) March 14 legal opinion, which states that the National Water Resources Board is the entity that grants permits for water, not the local government units (LGUs).
DILG addressed the legal opinion to committee on public utilities chairman Councilor R Leone Gerochi, who was asked to answer “whether or not the City Government of Iloilo has the power to grant a water and sanitation franchise.”
“In the first place, the DILG has already opined that we have no power to do that (granting of franchise). So, we will disobey DILG? DILG is a superior authority. We are subordinates and it might show insubordination,” Alim said.
He added that SBRI can continue its operation, except granting the franchise.
For further study and recommendations, the City Council referred it to committee on rules headed by Councilor Ed Peñaredondo. (Carolyn Jane Abello/SunStar Philippines)