10 Nov FICCO Ready to Take Over Water District Management
Source: kagay-an.com
First Community Cooperative (FICCO) Foundation Chairman, Dr. Anselmo Mercado, said that the city government of Cagayan de Oro could decide to dissolve the management of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) and replace it with another that has the resources and the ability to manage it more efficiently.
In an article from Sunstar Cagayan de Oro, Mercado said that local cooperative groups have been discussing the matter and noted that cooperatives have the necessary funds for the conversion of the water district.
He also said that the unsatisfying performance of the water district should not be taken against its management since its efficiency would still largely affected by the allocation of funds for its services.
He added that if the city government intends to continue in taking over the water district, it has to make sure to allocate enough funds for the facilities and improvement of its services.
Mercado added that options like letting a corporation or a cooperative run the water district could also be considered so that the management will not solely depend on the decisions of the officers but it will also take the stand of the members.
However, City Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr. maintained that the city government is incapable of terminating the leadership of the current administration of the COWD since it is an independent government entity which means that even the mayor of the city is not allowed to meddle with it.
Lao said that the only way that the city can get involved is to make a petition to the court to provide entry for the people’s representative in the lawsuit between the water district and its bulk water supplier.
noted, however, that if the intervention of the annulment the contract with another bulk water supplier, the Metro Pac, whose water rates are allegedly too high, the bidding will then be opened for interested investors which include cooperatives.
No Comments