LWUA leaves 5 MCWD directors hanging

CEBU, Philippines — The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has not acted on the appointment of the five new members of Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) Board leaving their position hanging.

As a consequence, the new appointees could not perform their official functions as policymakers of the water district since their appointments need LWUA’s confirmation.

Former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia, one of the five appointees, said they could not officially perform their duties and functions without LUA confirming their appointments. This includes the election of the new chairman of the board.

On January 6, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella appointed Garcia, Lawyer Francisco “Frank” Malilong Jr., former Cebu City councilor Jose Daluz III, Lawyer Manolette Dinsay and Miguelito “Mike” Pato as new members of the MCWD Board after firing all previous members because of alleged failure to solve the water crisis in Metro Cebu.

 “Ang amo papeles tua na sa LWUA apan wa pa mabalik, wa pa maka-meeting, wa pa mi makasugod sa among trabaho diha apan naa nata mga idea,” said Garcia during the Kapihan sa Sugbo media forum yesterday.

The new members of the board were specifically directed to address the water crisis in Metro Cebu. The former mayor admitted that he was offered the chairmanship of the MCWD Board but he declined because he could not give his full time, giving way for Daluz to be considered for the position.

Daluz earlier said they are considering desalination as an option to solve the water crisis in Metro Cebu. Garcia, however, said he is for the development of a dam as a long-term solution to the water problem.

He said that during her term as mayor of the city, the Malaysian government allegedly offered a public-private partnership to develop the Mananga Dam in Talisay City.

The project did not push through because of the refusal of Congress to grant a required sovereign guarantee.

 “Tingale makabasol ta sa ato mga kongresista ug mga senador nganong wa ni nadayon,” Garcia said.

Had the project pushed through, Metro Cebu would not have experienced the present water problem. He cited as an example a deserted portion in Southern California where there is no rain but the residents have abundant water supply because of the melted ice that flows into the dam.

“One of our need is really a dam, mosugot ka ug sa di sa ato mouwan Mayo hangtud Nobyembre pero ang tubig moagi sa Mananga paingon sa dagat,” Garcia said.

In the same forum, Talisay City Vice Mayor Allan Bucao said there is already an existing weir dam in Jaclupan. But he said the watershed areas in the mountain should be maintained also.

“Ang tubig bisan asa nalang moagi, di na ma-absorb sa yuta tungod kay wa nay dagku nga kahoy sa kabukiran. Tinuod nga kinahanglan ta og dam to impound sa tubig pero kaming taga Talisay makakita gyud nga dunay instances nga mahubsan gyud,” Bucao said.

A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. There are many designs of weir, but commonly water flows freely over the top of the weir crest before cascading down to a lower level. FPL (FREEMAN)