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MindanaoToday.com | Emergency power averts water supply cut in CdeO
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The state of emergency declaration on Tuesday, April 30, prevented a water supply crisis that could affect about half of the city’s households once the bulk-water contractor of Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) cuts off supply lines past midnight of May 1, this year, due to the unpaid P670-million unpaid billings since 2021 which COWD does not recognize.
Hours before 12:01 am of Wednesday, personnel from the Cagayan de Oro Police Office (COCPO) had already secured the main bulk-water distribution valve at Barangay Indahag, this city, of Rio Verde Consortium Incorporated (Rio Verde). It supplies treated water its trader Cagayan de Oro Bulkwater Incorporated (COBI), COWD’s bulk-water supply contractor.
On Thursday, May 2, COCPO issued a statement, saying their presence at the water distribution valves and other water installation facilities were for police visibility and maintenance of peace and order. There was no forced entry at all because COCPO personnel were posted only within the vicinity, contrary to a statement the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) issued earlier.
COCPO also clarified that its personnel cannot be deployed at Barangay Pualas in Baungon town of Bukidnon, where Rio Verde’s water-treatment facility is situated, because the area is outside of their jurisdiction, to correct what LWUA claimed and was made as basis in calling police presence as “groundless exercise of power” and “misuse of authority.”
COCPO, represented by City Police Director Colonel Salvador Radam, is a member of the Cagayan de Oro Task Force on Water Supply and Distribution that was created under Executive Order No. 109-2024. The task force’s Incident Command Team, which COCPO heads, was activated under Memorandum Order No. 757-24 and tasked primarily to secure all water installation facilities within the city.
Also on Thursday, May 1, in a special session as it was Labor Day, the City Council affirmed City Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy’s Declaration of a State of Emergency due to the impending water crisis, and granted him emergency powers. The legislative body, except four of 16 members who abstained, adopted E.O. No. 196-2024.
The City Council also gave the green light to the COWD to negotiate for emergency purchases of bulk water from Rio Verde, South Balibago Resources Inc., JE Hydro/Bio-Energy Corporation, and the Mindanao Cooperatives Water Service Federation.
Meanwhile, the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) signed on Thursday, April 25, 2023, a Manifesto, expressing their support to the COWD and Mayor Uy’s observance of the time-honored principle of governance in keeping the general welfare of the people.
Signed by ABC President and City Councilor Yan Alam Lim and 39 other members, the Manifesto rejects the intervention of LWUA and possibility of management takeover of COWD, pointing to the fact that COWD has long been serving city residents long before LWUA’s creation.
The Manifesto urges the COWD and contractor COBI to settle their dispute on water rate increases before the court of law, suggesting that their existing bulkwater-supply contract may be rescinded, amended, or cancelled in favor of the people of Cagayan de Oro.
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