03 May CDO Cooperatives To Take Over Management of Government-Run Cagayan de Oro Water District
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It has been reported that the government-run Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) operates with a non-revenue water level of more than 50%. And with regards to the COWD, a consortium of cooperatives wants to take charge in managing it.
“What we are doing is empowering our consumers because all of them will automatically become cooperative members,” said chair of the Cooperative Development Council – Cagayan de Oro (CDC-CDO) Mr. Micayabas in a local media last week following the signing of an agreement with Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez that the proposal will be pursued when he wins on May 9 elections as the city mayor.
With Rodriguez already decided to support the proposal of changing the COWD management, current Mayor Oscar S. Moreno who is running for reelection this coming elections has been evasive pertaining to the topic.
“In his written reply to our letter, the mayor (Moreno) said there is a need for a discussion first among us on the matter,” Mr. Micayabas said.
COWD is currently being run as a GOCC or government-owned and controlled corporation under its charter, but in the appointment of the board of directors, the city government has a say.
In the meantime, a COWD official said that as government employees, they would rather not comment on the CDC-CDO proposal.
“We merely follow our mandate. If the law states that we are a GOCC, then so be it. If the law states that we must be a private corporation, then so be it. If the law states that we must be a cooperative, then so be it,” COWD Assistant Manager Bienvenido V. Batar, Jr. said when asked for a comment regarding the proposal adding that water districts as GOCCs have been proven to be the most efficient means of water delivery in the Philippines, may it be in urban or rural areas.
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