MCWD assured of City Hall, Capitol support

CEBU, Philippines — Amid the “worst storms” in its history that hit the Metropolitan Cebu Water District this year, its 50th year, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia reassured the utility firm of their “strong support”.

Both also said they look forward to working harmoniously with the water district from hereon, after MCWD’s chaotic relationship with the City Government under the administration of dismissed mayor Michael Rama.

They expressed their support during the water company’s “Homecoming and Appreciation Night” in line with MCWD’s 50th anniversary.

"On my way here and reflecting upon the story of MCWD...since then mayor Eulogio Borres signed Resolution 873 creating this water district, for sure MCWD has seen so many challenges from El Nin?o, to typhoons, to fires that burned your offices. But who would have thought that it would precisely be in the months leading up to today, the celebration of your 50th anniversary, that MCWD would face its worst storms,” Gov. Garcia said.

“In fact, it had been a long, lingering, terrible storm…starting with the conflicting views between that then chief executive, now gone and unlamented, of Cebu City and the chairman as well as the board of directors, and as well as our department heads and employees,” she added.

Gov. Garcia mentioned former mayor Rama as wanting to privatize MCWD. In interviews in the past, though, Rama denied such accusations.

“It was a lingering fight culminating deep into the night of the 15th of April this year when the forces coming from the same City Government that had granted MCWD, in fact created MCWD 50 years ago, now had trained its forces against its own creation,” Gov. Garcia said.

Even with a not-so-close relationship with MCWD before, Gov. Garcia said, she stepped in to help the water facility to be secured, backed by an opinion by the Office of the Government Corporate Council (OGCC).

“It was my duty to see to it that law and order prevail for, after all, this continues to be a government run by laws, not by a single dictator,” Gov. Garcia said without naming names.

Gov. Garcia thanked the OGCC, who was represented by a former colleague in Congress, lawyer Tricia Nicole Velasco-Catera, daughter of former Associate Justice Presboterio Velasco, now the governor of Marinduque.

“May I especially thank the office of the OGCC for coming through and delivering the death blows to the overly ambitious wannabes…Daghan kaayong salamat,” the governor said.

She then proceeded in calling Rama a “dictator” while she, on the other hand, has become a “BFF” (Best Friends Forever) of MCWD, but “for the good of the Cebuanos “.

She also said MCWD also stands for “Magpadayon Canunay, Wa nay Diktador!”

She likewise mentioned the moments when she and MCWD in a way, locked horns in the past.

“We have had, shall we say, a little tense relationship as you defended your interest and I defended ours. But look at us now. And who would have thought that I would stand up to defend MCWD against Mike Rama. He who will not be named, I will have to name,” Gov. Garcia said.

The rest of it is history, she said, and that the “good always triumphs over evil”.

It was well-publicized that the Rama administration feuded with MCWD, particularly with Atty. Jose Daluz III, the then Board of Directors (BOD) chairman, and with the BOD directors.

That changed, however, with Mayor Garcia now at City Hall’s helm, following Rama’s dismissal from service that the Office of the Ombudsman ordered last month. (Rama has since questioned Mayor Garcia’s assumption as full-fledged mayor and he and his allies have filed complaints against him and a few others, including the Department of Interior and Local Government-7 director.)

Gov. Garcia said that with her “favorite nephew” as Cebu City mayor, she looks forward to an even more harmonious relationship with MCWD.

“Subscribing to the Serbisyong tatak Garcia, rising above pecuniary and selfish interest, upholding what should be the good of the majority…. What a complete turnaround. And MCWD can now look forward to years of a harmonious relationship with the City of Cebu,” the governor said.

Mayor Garcia, for his part, said he could not help but recall the unfortunate incident at the MCWD building last April, when several Rama allies led by then city administrator Collin Rosell “invaded” the MCWD building.

He recalled telling himself that if that would happen at City Hall, “ako gyud silang posasan”.

When Rosell tried to assert that he was back as city administrator last Nov. 8 and even issued a memorandum to that effect, he got handcuffed by no less than the Cebu City Police Office director and hauled to the police station to be booked for a “usurpation of authority” complaint.

“Naa ko diri karon, dili sa paglungkab sa inyong pwerta, dili usab sa paglungkab sa inyong vault…. Kung ila ng buhaton sa City Hall, pusasan gyud na nako,” Garcia said.

“I’m here today to show my support, the City Government’s support to MCWD…. Nganong di man ta magtinabangay, nga ang atong tumong ug tinguha ang pagpanerbisyo og tarong man. And in this case, ang pagpanghatag ug tubig sa atong mga Sugbuanon,” Mayor Garcia said.

Mayor Garcia stressed again that indeed, “diplomacy works”, that it results to “a lot of achievements” with MCWD even in just a short period of time. (Mayor Garcia took over as acting mayor last May 10 and then as a full-fledged mayor last Oct. 9.)

“Our relationship has become from sour to sweet,” he said.

He mentioned that MCWD’s pipe-laying in the mountain barangays have been given the go signal already after the excavation permits application remained pending for over a year during the Rama administration, which approved towards the end of May this year.

He also revealed that the City Government and MCWD are set to sign an agreement regarding the City Hall’s use of the “Satellite Office” building which MCWD owns. — /RHM (FREEMAN)