Target: New Talisay-MCWD deal out by November

The Talisay City councilors tasked to draft the amendment to the city’s deal with the Metropolitan Cebu Water District said the new agreement may be ready by next month.

Councilor Richard Francis Aznar said the crafting of a new agreement with the water firm was among the highlights of the council session yesterday.

“Karon we are still evaluating, nagkuha pa mi og detalye para ma-evaluate namo, magsugod pa mi,” he told reporters.

Aznar said now is the right time for the council to focus on the matter since the city’s annual fiesta celebration, which had preoccupied them lately, is already over.

He added that by November, the amended MOA will be presented.

“As soon as possible. Hopefully mahuman mi sa dili pa mahuman ang tuig or by November ang amo target,” he said.

Mayor Eduardo Gullas has ordered Aznar, along with fellow councilors Rodi Cabigas and Jojo Bacaltos, to draft an amendment to the contract with MCWD because he thinks Talisay’s share in the venture is not equitable.

MCWD has pumping stations in Talisay which extract ground water that it distributes to its consumers in Metro Cebu.

The mayor maintained that the more or less P300,000 the city is getting quarterly as share from MCWD’s use of the city’s water resources is “low.”

Since the deal was signed 22 years ago, Gullas also said it is already outdated and needs to be revised.

For his part, Vice Mayor Alan Bucao said he also wants the amended agreement to be finished before yearend.

He assured, though, that the council will thoroughly study and deliberate on all issues concerning the deal.

“Kung ma-deliberate sa council as early as November, at least we can start fresh by January 2017, kay nindot kay humana ang fiscal year,” Bucao said.

MCWD spokesperson Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara said their office is always open for invitation by the city government.

She added that they are willing to meet with the city councilors anytime soon regarding the amendment.