Labella: MCWD has done so much

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has expressed satisfaction over the performance of the current members of the board of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District.

Labella asked the public to give the MCWD board members a chance to prove their worth and to implement projects well.

He, however, respects Provincial Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco’s move in asking for a progress report with the current MCWD board after receiving feedback that it has hardly put in improvements in its services a year after the new board took over its leadership.

“I think, I’m confident that the MCWD board can very well explain their position nga they are doing something as early as last year,” said Labella.

Labella had appointed former councilor Joey Daluz, lawyer Manolette Dinsay, former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia, businessman Mike Pato, and lawyer Frank Malilong to the MCWD board, which he said has done so much even in such a short span of time.

“They have done so much for their more than one year of existence,” said Labella.

Labella cited that for last year, they have built 11 drilling stations, started out bidding for the six desalination projects and another project with surface water at the Mananga and Cotcot Lusaran River.

“Last August they have started the bidding for six desal projects because we have to go into desal. The bidding has already started for companies. I told them it should be public bidding, it should not be favored contractors. There is also a project by them on the Mananga River using surface water and also Lusaran and Cotcot River,” said Labella.

There are many projects undertaken which the previous board did not do but problems cannot be solved overnight, Labella said.

Labella though also said, this is just his reaction, but asked for others’ understanding and patience.

“Let’s give them a chance. Wait for a little while, pasensya usa ta. But they have done so many projects (MCWD) compare(d) to the previous one. They have done so many things, tagaan lang nato’g higayon,” said Labella.

Fewer complaints

Consolacion town Mayor Joannes Alegado for his part said he just raised his constituents’ complaints to the management of the water district.

The mayor believes that this time, there is an improvement in MCWD’s services.

“So far there are continuous works in repairing or rehabilitation of their pipes. Water pressure and quality is better,” the mayor told The Freeman.

Alegado added that compared to the past when several of his constituents had raised complaints against MCWD services, this time, he said, “I have received lesser complaints of water shortage”.  —  Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, GMR (FREEMAN)