CEBU, Philippines - Due to the intermittent water supply, the Talisay City Council is set to invite officials of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to answer queries as to why some areas in the city are getting less supply of water these days.
This came after different areas of the city especially those in the upland barangays like Lagtang have been experiencing low water supply, or sometimes none at all. City officials like City Councilor Arturo Bas had earlier expressed his disappointment to the situation to the water district, which has reportedly been going on for the past three weeks. Bas said if this continues, he may summon the MCWD officials for an explanation.
Although he understands that there’s a dry spell, Bas said MCWD should also not forget that it is getting most of its bulk supply from the city’s rivers and watershed. It does not seem so in the past weeks according to Bas since barangays like Lagtang, where he is living, has been experiencing problems with MCWD’s services.
For his part, Councilor-elect Semy Cabuenas, outgoing barangay chief of Lagtang, said he believes it is best that the city has its own water works system, considering that it has the abundance of potable water. He said that they have already been thinking of that and, once the new city council resumes they may start discussing the idea.
The councilor-elect said he feels MCWD is not giving enough services and benefits to the city, where it gets most of its water supply which is distributed to Talisay and Cebu City.
To recall, in July 2008, the city council approved a measure, authored by resigned Vice Mayor Lani Abarquez, requesting the city legal office to go over the contract with the water district , which was signed in the early 80s, to see if it is being followed or if the city is getting anything from it.
Abarquez had then said that it has been a long time since MCWD has been extracting water from the city and distributing it within the city and outside, but there is “no clear cut benefit defined for its residents “who are also consumers paying the same amount as those non-city residents.
The former vice mayor said MCWD is “not giving us correct treatment.”
She had asked then that the resident should also enjoy low rates in their water consumption. (FREEMAN NEWS)