VICE Mayor Jimmy Lazatin on Friday, March 6, highlighted the value of shared responsibility and how it had helped in the progress and development of the City of San Fernando Water District (CSFWD).
Lazatin, who spoke before employees and officials of the water utility, said that shared responsibility between the water utility and its stakeholders along with the local government had enabled the water utility to expand and grow.
“Shared responsibility brings into it the sense of responsibility towards the greater and common good,” Lazatin said.
With more than 50,000 concessionaires, the water utility is among the biggest in Pampanga. Lazatin said that the water utility has an even greater responsibility now to bring in stakeholders into an even greater participation in the charting of the programs and plans for the water utility. He also expressed his confidence in the current developments of the water utility.
Earlier, San Fernando Water District Chairman Ferdinand Caylao hailed the now three-year-old joint venture (JV) agreement with Primewater Infrastructure Corporation (Primewater) as a worthwhile decision for the benefit of concessionaires and in the development of the water utility that serves this capital city.
Caylao, who recalled the turbulent passing of the agreement three years ago during the anniversary program, said the negative criticisms that the board and the water utility endured had all been proven false.
“We could not have made it today, with all the developments happening all around San Fernando if not for the JV agreement. The demand for more connections and better services are greater now than three years ago,” Caylao added.
The City of San Fernando Water District signed a P2.9 billion contractual joint venture for 25 years. Since the start of the agreement, PrimeWater is investing to meet targets in water generation, expansion and rehabilitation of pumping stations, maintenance of buildings and other facilities, billing and collection, maintenance of waterlines and reduction of leakage.
The P2.9 billion is intended solely for capital expenditures and excludes power cost, personnel salaries and benefits, and JV share. The first five years scheduled P744 million for improving the water system.
In the past three years, PrimeWater had been building new facilities like pumping stations, rehabilitating old ones and adding new generators for efficient operations.