Capitol seeking new water supplier for CICC

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Capitol is currently negotiating with a water provider that can supply the Cebu International Convention Center with water at a much lower cost.

This was after the Mandaue Realty Corp. cut off CICC’s supply last Friday, said Acting Governor Agnes Magpale.

After their meeting last week with the CICC management board, Magpale said that Mareco might have acquired information that they were looking for other water suppliers for CICC.

But this was the most practical solution, said Magpale, since Mareco was charging CICC P60 per cubic meter, more than twice the rate of other water suppliers.

She said that the Technical Working Group of the CICC management board is still negotiating with Pilipinas Water which is supplying the nearby Parkmall with water.

Pilipinas Water reportedly offers Parkmall P38 per cubic meter, said Magpale while they have offered the Provincial Capitol P47 per cubic meter.

The price was reduced to P45 but Magpale said that they are hoping to have this lowered.

Magpale said that they were told that Parkmall’s water consumption is higher, thus the special rate. But Magpale said they have asked the supplier to give them a lower rate given that CICC’s bills are paid by the Provincial Government.

At present, a tanker from the provincial government transports water to CICC. Magpale said this is the same tanker that delivers water to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Until negotiations are final, Magpale said it is cheaper to have water delivered by the tanker which just costs them P10,000 a month compared to over P250,000 a month in water bills paid by the Provincial Government for CICC.

The Provincial Capitol has opened the possibility of selling the CICC last month when reports showed that utility bills and expenses of the CICC was even more than the income it was getting for a whole year. —/BRP (FREEMAN)