MCWD chair quits

CEBU, Philippines — Metropolitan Cebu Water District board of directors chairman Joel Mari Yu, whose term was supposed to end on December 31, 2022, has resigned, MCWD confirmed yesterday.

This developed as Local Water Utilities Administration announced it has partially taken over the MCWD, saying there is a need to appoint members of the interim board following the termination of the previous board.

LWUA reportedly appointed Atty. Roberto San Andres, LWUA Manager Legal Department; Aileen Dela Veyga, Acting Deputy Administrator for Institutional Development Service; and Cristina Marcelino, Manager of Utilities Development Division for Visayas as interim board of directors for MCWD.

In a press statement, MCWD said "Under Sec. 12 of Presidential Decree No. 198, vacancies in the Board of Directors occurring more than six months before the expiration of their terms, the remaining directors shall, within 30 days, serve notice or request the secretary of the district for nominations."

Pe as acting chair

According to the statement, Augustus Pe Jr. has been appointed as acting chairman of the board.

"After serving the notice or request for nominations, the secretary of the water district will submit to the appointing authority within 30 days a list of nominees from which the appointing authority can choose a replacement from the nominees for the representative of the education sector," said the water district.

If there are no nominations, the appointing authority shall make the appointment.

However, if the appointing authority fails to make an appointment 30 days after the submission of the list of nominees, the vacant post should be filled from a list by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board of directors creating a quorum.

MCWD stressed that the replacement director shall serve the unexpired term only.

MCWD’s general manager Jose Eugenio Singson Jr. has also tendered his resignation effective Nov. 1, 2019.

Assistant general manager Stephen Yee was named acting general manager to carry out the duty of supervising and controlling the maintenance and operation of water district facilities and appoint personnel as per Presidential Decree 198.

Meeting

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella had a meeting with the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) officers to discuss about the MCWD controversy yesterday morning.

The mayor has yet to issue a statement about their meeting.

To recall, Labella has issued notices of termination to the five members of MCWD board of directors on October 15 due to the dissatisfaction from consumers on its service.

Alongside Yu and Pe, Cecilla Jugao- Adlawan, Procopio Fernandez, and Ralph Sevilla were also the recipients of such termination.

LWUA Letter

In a letter dated October 21, LWUA Acting Administrator Jeci Lapus told Yu that since their termination has been effective on the day it was issued, it is now necessary to designate for the members of the interim board of directors for the partial takeover of the MCWD.

"This is due to the institutional crisis which may hamper the operation of the district to the prejudice of the public pending review by this office of the action taken by the mayor pursuant to Section 11 of Presidential Decree No. 198," Lapus explained.

The office also confirmed the receipt of the Notices of Termination issued against the former board by Labella last October 15.

“Considering that the said notices took effect on the same day they were issued, we deem it necessary to designate members of the Interim Board of Directors for the partial take-over of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District,” said Jeci Lapus, LWUA Acting Administration in his letter addressed to the water utility. LPM (FREEMAN)