MCWD stops offer of consortium

THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s (MCWD) board of directors has terminated the unsolicited proposal of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp.Aboitiz consortium for the construction of a desalination plant in Lapu-Lapu City.

MCWD general manager Eugenio Singson Jr. said the board had stopped negotiating with the consortium two weeks before Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella terminated the services of five board members—chairman Joel Mari Yu, vice chairman Ralph Sevilla, secretary Cecilia Jugao-Adlawan, and members Procopio Fernandez and Augustus Pe Jr.

The proposal, Singson said, was declared terminated as MCWD and the consortium failed to reach an agreement.

“So, there is no more proposal because there was a failure in negotiation,” Singson said in Cebuano.

The consortium reportedly offered to provide 100,000 cubic meters of water per day. It set the price per cubic meter of water at P89. However, this solicited a disapproval from Labella, who said it is expensive.

Singson said MCWD may start accepting on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 solicited proposals from firms for the construction of a desalination plant. But MCWD, he added, dictates the terms of reference, not the private companies.

Meanwhile, Labella said the persons who will replace the board members, whose services he terminated last Oct. 15, must have these qualities: managerial skills, knowledge on water technology, and heart and integrity to serve.

The mayor said he has not yet decided on who will occupy the board’s seats, and he is willing to accept applicants from other local government units that are under MCWD’s jurisdiction.

However, Labella said he will impose his own decision and use the power vested upon a local executive by Presidential Decree 198 (Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973).

Labella terminated the services of Yu and four other board members on the grounds that several customers are dissatisfied with MCWD’s service. /