NYC commissioner in hot water for “forgery”

A Boholano commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NYC) is under fire following the filing of both administrative and criminal charges against him before the Ombudsman for alleged misrepresentation and forgery.
According to a reliable source, SK leader of Iloilo is taking the cudgels in filing appropriate charges against Commissioner Benjie Oliva, of Catigbian town, before the DILG and the Ombudsman.
SK Bohol led by federated president Jane Censoria Cajes is not taking the issue for granted as it also planned to formally file separate charges against Oliva, the source said, saying this is the only way to rectify what they perceived as corruption of the youth.
The case stemmed from Oliva’s alleged forging the signature of Sec. Ronaldo Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). He allegedly used DILG’s memorandum with Puno’s (forged) signature in it for the conduct of the Integrated Sangguniang Kabataan Organizational Leadership and Reorientation-Basic Orientation Seminar (ISKOLAR-BOS), collecting PhP4,000 for each SK participant as registration fee.
The “forged” memorandum circular was practically addressed to SK officers in regions six, seven and eight, urging SK’s participation for the program. But unfortunately, SK Bohol, belonging to region 7, was “deliberately” excluded in the said memorandum, the source said.
According to the source, the alleged forged signature did not match with that of the original (memorandum) bearing the serial number of Puno’s signature.
The original memorandum circular (with No. 2007-03) dated January 8, 2007 bore the same number but dated January 11, 2007 with different addressee, the source said.
In a phone interview yesterday, Oliva did not confirm nor deny the allegation against him. He said Cajes and company are probably the ones who made this issue blown out of proportion “to discredit him.” He said he did not receive a complaint yet filed against him.
Oliva said he is set to talk this over this week with the SK Bohol represented by Cajes.
While he is contemplating to get reappointed to NYC, Oliva said he is securing clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation, Ombudsman, Sandigan Bayan and other credentials for his reappointment by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. His term in the NYC is due to expire yesterday after a three-year term of office.
He said he also got endorsements from Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, Congressmen Adam Jala and Edgar M. Chatto (3rd and 1st dist) but not from Congressman Roberto C. Cajes (2nd dist), father of Jane Censoria Cajes.
Implications of the issue of Oliva’s case may have, perhaps, far-reaching effects, the source said. For sure, Oliva’s obsession to be reappointed to the same position may be in jeopardy once the complaint is raised, the source said. (RVO)

Water sale to Cebu revived

MACTAN, Cebu. – The proposal for Bohol to sell water to Cebu was revived even as the plan for the Cebu-Bohol friendship Bridge is considered a factor for the said water project.
Former Pres. Fidel Ramos last Thursday revived the proposal as the only way to solve Metro Cebu’s water crisis.
But the idea was met with lukewarm reaction by advocates of sustainable water who preferred developing Cebu's small river systems to address the water shortage.
Ramos, who was in Cebu to keynote the 8th Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production, said Cebu will have a big water problem unless it cooperates with its neighboring province.
He said Bohol has a good water supply because it has a network of irrigation dams. Excess water flushes out to the sea instead of being utilized, he added.
“This was a project we wanted to put up 15 years ago with (former Cebu governor) Lito Osmeña through a BOT (build-operate-transfer) scheme. A pipeline will connect Bohol to Cebu,” Ramos told reporters in a press conference.
The project did not push through because of “cultural reasons,” he said.Ramos said Boholanos were hesitant to supply water because they did not want Bohol to be considered as a “colony of Cebu.”
Ramos was president when the national government footed the bill for a multi-million feasibility study for the Bohol-Cebu Water Supply Project, which would cost about P3.2 billion.
The ambitious project was to bring in water from Inabanga town in Bohol to Mactan Island, Cebu through a 30-km submarine pipeline. Pumping stations would then distribute the water to other areas of Metro Cebu.
It maybe recalled that a foreign consortium, ANGLO and its partner Kinhill Brown & Root, submitted a BOT proposal to the Bohol provincial government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
But the project did not push through mainly due to the objection of the Boholanos who feared the effects of the project on the environment. They were afraid that it would deplete their own water supply.
Osmeña, who was then economic adviser to Ramos, had explained the project would only harvest the run-off water from the river before it would reach the sea.
Aside from the objections of the Boholanos, Ramos said the project also lacked investors who were willing to gamble to take on the project.
“You need somebody who’s willing to gamble in the project. Our capitalists here are siguristas...We need (people like that) for water,” he said.
Ramos said the project could still be feasible and doable if the plan to construct the Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge would push through.
The 90-kilometer bridge (including its causeway) which will connect Cordova town on Mactan Island, Cebu and Getafe town in Bohol, has an estimated cost of P20 billion.
Buying water from Bohol in the year 1995 would cost P60 per cubic meter.
It would be the same cost as building the proposed 90-meter high dam in Mananga.
.Cebu City Planning and Development Coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete said Metro Cebu uses 100 percent ground water unlike in Manila that uses 60 percent surface water and 40 percent ground water.
Data from the MCWD’s Water Resources Knowledge Center showed that from June 2007 to June 2008, average water production reached more than five million cubic meters per month or roughly 166,000 cubic meters per day.
More than four million cubic meters were derived from ground water, while more than 200,000 cubic meters were obtained from surface water sources.Another 435,00 cubic meters were sourced from bulk water suppliers like Mactan Rock Industries Inc., Foremost Water and Abejo Builders Corp.
There is a dam which is supposed to provide 500,000 cubic meters of water every day but it can only give 156,000 cu m because of siltation.
Siltation, which is primarily due to illegal logging and kaingin (slash and burn farming), occurs when soil or sediment gets suspended in bodies of water resulting to muddy and dirty water.
Quoting 2004 results of the Water Remind project sponsored by the Dutch government, Metro Cebu has a total demand of 284,000 cubic meters of water every day. But MCWD can only provide 170,000 cubic meters or 60 percent --of the total demand.
Rapid economic development and population growth will increase daily water demand by more than 300,000 cubic meters in 2012.
Metro Cebu covers the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Naga and the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Cordova.
As of June 2008, MCWD has 118,161 water subscribers. (Cris Evert Lato, Cebu Daily News)

Lim calls Chatto for “open line”

City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday called for an “open line” with Rep. Edgar Chatto whose political paths always comes opposing at each other because of the former’s allegations that the last-termer solon has positioned his brother-in-law, City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso to run against him in the 2010 elections.
However, the vocal mayor sounded “friendly” yesterday when he appreciated the call of Rep. Chatto in his top-rated “Mayor’s Report” over dyRD where the solon explained his side regarding the raging issue on the drainage problem in the city.
For his part, Chatto said the communication line to the city mayor remains open as far as he is concerned especially that the city belongs to the 1st congressional district.
Lim and Chatto who call each other as “chief” sounded so calm and friendly over the airlane yesterday.
The mayor told the solon “it’s better if we always communicate personally and not send messages through Provincial Board Member Ae Damalerio or Vice Mayor Veloso.”
For Lim, he considers both Damalerio and Veloso as political allies of the solon.
It maybe recalled that Lim reacted sharply when Damalerio who is the chair of the committee on environment of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan commented on the drainage issue.
The city mayor is always quoted as saying that both the provincial board member and the vice mayor are speaking like “spokesmen” of Rep. Chatto.
For their part, Damalerio and Veloso always defend themselves saying that if they tackle public issues, they are acting on their individual capacities as duly elected officials and not as speakers of the solon.

City to stop sale NPC power plant

City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday declared he will be filing a complaint at the Regional Trial Court against the bidding and sale of the Bohol power diesel plant by the National Power Corporation (NPC).
Speaking during his weekly “Mayor’s Report” over dyRD, Lim said he has taken the cudgels for power consumers in starting a campaign to stop the sale that will result in the escalation of electricity rates.
“The sale of our power plant to private groups must be stopped,” the mayor stressed as he called for unity in the drive against the sale.
The NPC through the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) has put up for bidding the 22-megawatt Bohol Diesel Plant in Dampas.
Mayor Lim said that if the plant is sold, “the power rate in Bohol will double.”
He said that if the power generation is already handled by the private sector, there will no longer be government subsidy on the cost of power.
The present power requirement of the province is being served by Bohol Electric Cooperatives (Boheco) I and II and the Bohol Light Corporation Inc. (BLCI) which in turn purchase power from the NPC.
A comparative schedule of power rates provided by the mayor to the Chronicle showed that NPC, which owns both the Leyte Geothermal and the Bohol diesel plants which are its power sources, sells power to the cooperatives and BLCI at P2.8679 per kilowatt hour (Kwh) as approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
BLCI is selling electricity at about P7.50 per Kwh after transmission charges, franchise and benefits to host communities, adjustments, overhead and profit.
The ERC-approved NPC generation charge is much lower than the true cost of the power generated by the NPC Bohol diesel plant which uses the expensive bunker and diesel fuels.
“Considering that the price of crude oil as of September 18 is at US$91.54, NPC’s actual cost of producing power is about P10.15 Kwh,” the mayor reasoned.
NPC is able to sell its power at P2.8679 Kwh since it has large coal plants elsewhere in the country that run on cheaper fuel to subsidize its diesel plants.
Lim revealed that PSALM has already advertised its invitation to bid last September 3 to 5 for both the 146.5 megawatt Panay diesel power plant and the 22-megawatt Bohol diesel power plant on an “as is where is” basis.
“If the Dampas diesel plant is sold to the private sector, Boholano power consumers will no longer avail of subsidized cost of power from NPC,” Lim warned.
The mayor said that with the high cost of crude oil and the margin of profit, the power rate will “soar to the sky”.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod on Friday likewise sponsored a resolution urging the NPC and PSALM to defer the bidding of the Dampas diesel plant.
“The withdrawal of the government subsidy will mean an increase in power rates to at least twice the price of power currently being paid by power consumers to prohibitive levels,” the resolution stated.
The SP measure was sponsored by City councilors Edgar Bompat, Oscar Glovasa, Leonides Borja, Nerio Zamora II, Danilo Bantugan, Faro Cabalit and Rammy June Alturas.
Lim also challenged provincial officials to rally behind the move blocking the sale of which “could more than double the power rates.”
He said he will be meeting with Gov. Erico Aumentado on Tuesday where he will also raise this concern.
“High power rates will trigger economic crisis and will negate development initiatives that have been undertaken in Tagbilaran and the province,” the mayor concluded.

( By KIT BAGAIPO)

30 days to cut sewerage lines

Commercial buildings and homes connecting to the city drainage network will be given 30 days to voluntarily cut their sewer lines.
This was the ultimatum given by City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report”.
Lim said this is an offshoot of a dialogue with Sec. Jose Atienza of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who came here on Wednesday to keynote a national gathering of foresters at the Bohol Tropics Resort.
According to Lim, he has coordinated with the local DENR in order to draw the guidelines in cutting the illegal sewer lines tapped into the city drainage as recommended by Sec. Atienza.
Sec. Atienza said the city government should implement the disconnection.
He declared that city residents should not be made to suffer because of violations committed by some business establishments and households that are connecting their sewers into the drainage system.
Atienza’s decision guided local authorities on how to resolve the deadlock after blaming each other including the DENR and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Majority of city residents, meanwhile, disagree on Atienza’s decision. In a survey conducted by dyRD’s top-rated “Inyong Alagad”, 83 percent of the respondents said they want the illegal connections to be plugged before opening the drainage outfall in Graham Avenue.
Lawyer Victor dela Serna, owner of the lot where the drainage outfall is located, has also aired concerns over Atienza’s decision.
“It seems that City Hall is apprehensive of implementing its own ordinance (prohibiting the illegal drainage taps) since most of the violators are prominent businessmen and influential city residents,” Dela Serna noted.
Atienza however clarified that he has explicitly ordered the local DENR to coordinate with the city government and ensure that the water that will be discharged from the drainage will not spoil the marine environment in Tagbilaran bay.
“I have been apprised of the problem and I also believe residents should not be sacrificed everytime there is a heavy downpour,” he said.
“However, since there are laws prohibiting sewer lines coming from commercial buildings and households, violators must be punished,” Atienza stressed.
Atienza reasoned that the volume of pollution brought by the clogged drainage network and the illegal connections could not be determined unless it is submitted for laboratory test.
PENRO Nestro Canda told the Chronicle he will bring samples of water from the drainage when he goes to Cebu tomorrow.
“Our technical men will monitor and get water samples by the time the drainage is opened.”
“While we are not yet able to correct the irregularities, I have instructed the local DENR to coordinate with the city government and rush the cutting of illegal connections,” Atienza declared.
Atienza pressed that it is the local government units who should implement the disconnection.
“I am an advocate of local autonomy. Local government units must be supported so that they will have the political will to implement our laws.”
“The plan of the city government to put up a waste water treatment facility must be fast tracked,” Atienza urged.
The DENR boss said it is much easier now to go after environmental violators as so-called “green courts” have already been established by the Supreme Court to handle cases pertaining to the environment.
The city drainage system along CPG Avenue is packaged with the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project as implemented by the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Philippine Japan Highways Loan Project who had Hanjin Heavy Engineering doing the construction.
Hanjin had said that the illegal connections got the green-light of the PMO, despite the fact that the project specifically states that the canals would only be for rain water.
To put up a conduit for the rain water to flow out to the sea, the DPWH implemented the San Jose street drainage and outfall towards Tagbilaran bay.
(By KIT BAGAIPO)

Solons to block population bill

All three Bohol congressmen vowed to oppose the passage of the controversial population management bill even as the measure is gaining supporters ahead of plenary debates in the House of Representatives starting tomorrow.
While more congressmen are purportedly backing House Bill 5043, a bill seeking to enact a population control measure, Representatives Edgar Chatto (1st district), Roberto Cajes (2nd district) and Adam Relson Jala (3rd district) stood firm with their position to vote against the measure.
Chatto told the Chronicle yesterday that the three Bohol solons are all pro-life and will not support HB 5043.
“We have been consistent with our position that we are against the measure which actually weakens the fiber of moral life,” Chatto stressed.
Cajes, for his part said he will definitely vote against the reproductive health bill adding that “it will not compliment sound economic policy neither will it contribute to poverty reduction.”
“Self-discipline and self-control will solve most, if not all, our problems,” Cajes pointed out countering the argument of the bill’s proponents that over-population is interrelated with poverty.
Meanwhile, Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso also renewed his call for the faithful to help lobby to lawmakers and persuade them to block the reproductive health bill.
Medroso, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal
Commission on Canon Law, said the issue is a serious matter for the Church because “it is a threat to the sanctity of family and life.”
HOUSE DEBATES
Vigorous debates on the proposed measure is expected during the House plenary starting tomorrow.
Yesterday, HB 5043 chief proponent and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman fired the opening salvo declaring that the Catholic Church would render itself “irrelevant” to its flock by continuously opposing the bill.
Lagman insists that an overwhelming number of Filipinos “strongly approve of the government’s allocation of funds for modern contraceptives.”
“If the Catholic Church wants to continue to become significant in the lives of the faithful, [it] must listen to [its] flock or risk of becoming irrelevant,” he said.
SOUND ECONOMIC POLICY
According to Chatto, a sound economic policy should address the issue on poverty.
“Personally, in the hierarchy of values there are provisions in the bill that I cannot take such as encouraging sex education at a very young age,” the solon explained.
Chatto said the provision for full access to modern contraceptives would also mean a huge cut of our national allocation for public health.
He explained that if the bill is adopted, contraceptives will be accessible alongside with common drugs.
Chatto believes that achieving the desired size of a family can be accomplished through a joint advocacy of the state and the Church such as providing opportunities for work.
BIGGER PROTEST
Bishop Medroso led a huge crowd more than a month ago to rally against the House bill.
Medroso, considered as one of the Catholic Church’s influential leaders, promised a “bigger protest” if Congress will approve the bill.
“Boholanos have shown their faith in God recognizing the sacredness of life,” Medroso said.
Catholic dioceses in the country have been holding prayer rallies, and started lobbying to lawmakers.
“Dioceses nationwide should unite for the nationwide protest to reject a proposed bill that destroys life,” Medroso added.
Medroso said he is ready to mobilize parishioners in the Tagbilaran Diocese for the success of the campaign to scrap the legislative measure.
SURVEYS
With the House debates set beginning tomorrow, Lagman made public a Pulse Asia survey that purportedly indicated popular support for his population control advocacy.
He said that the survey, conducted before the 2007 elections, showed that 90 percent of Catholic respondents supposedly “declared their support for state subsidy of modern contraceptives.”
Catholics opposed to the bill consider the state subsidy provision an affront to their religious belief, noting that the government would be using taxpayers’ money, which is collected mainly from the predominantly Catholic population – for a policy directly against the teachings of the Church.
More than four decades ago, Pope Paul VI issued an encyclical “Humanae Vitae” to enlighten its faithful on questions over matters such as over-population.
The document, for instance, tackles the common argument of “pro-choice” lawmakers that contraceptive use would lead to “women empowerment” in the face of their partners’ domestic abuse, a situation supposedly prevalent in rural Philippines.
“A man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection,” Paul VI wrote in 1968.
But Lagman insisted that according to the Pulse Asia survey results, 89 percent of the respondents were in favor of government fund allocation for contraceptive methods such as pills, intrauterine devices, condoms, ligation, and vasectomy.
Overall, he said, 92 percent of them “believe it is important to mitigate fertility and plan their family.”
By KIT BAGAIPO

Panglao Officialdom passes test

If Panglao Island was an Academy, its officialdom passed the Pre-Finals Test last Friday.

Keeping their cool, though privately peeved by the political intramurals in Panglao politics, the prime movers Governor Rico Aumentado and First District Congressman Edgar Chatto convened the Panglao officials before scores of private stockholders, long agitated by the stalemate over the potable water issue in the island Paradise.

The backdrop was grim as the result so damaging if no decision was made Friday. It would have be prejudicial to the efforts to buttress Panglao's claim as successor to the famed Boracay and the P 4-Billion international airport project would have seemed to outsiders like a daunting task - given the fact that people could not even resolve the water issue.The clock was ticking - and time waits for no one.

So it was perhaps the fear of a business disaster and public relation nightmare - that Panglao officials led by Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes finally buried the hatchet under the glare of media, the Provincial Officaldom and tourism stakeholders.

They blinked amidst this pressure - and the Sangguniang Bayan of Panglao was post haste assembled and decided the Panglao Potable Water Project will now go on with Competitive Bidding rather than Open Access execution at the soonest possible time.

Why it would take the iron fist of the provincial brass and an peeved public opinion to address a basic concern an issue in Panglao is an indictment against the parochial politics of destruction and nihilism of the island officials. The successful Friday consultation also proved, however, that they are not beyond redemption.

But after the press photo opportunity, the Final Test of implementation is still to be carried out.
Let's do the competitive bidding with utter transparency and meritrocacy in mind and filter out the bogus, fly-by-night pretenders.

No other day must be lost hereafter - otherwise the sin of procrastination and sloth will be added to the previous list of parochialism, politicking and fighting for vested self interest. The people of Panglao and Bohol have had enough.

The time for final redemption of Panglao is about to begin.

Guv defends purchase of BMs’ 13 Crosswind

Countering allegations that the 13 Isuzu Crosswinds for provincial board members is overpriced, Gov. Erico Aumentado said the bidding and award of the purchase contract is in order.

The vehicle purchase is funded out of a P10.8 million savings of the provincial government from salaries of unfilled positions in its different offices.

Aumentado personally presented a computation of the purchase of the 13 brand new vehicles refuting claims that the Crosswinds are overpriced by at least P17,000 each.

The bidding and award of the vehicle purchase already raised doubts when only one bidder, Isuzu Mandaue, submitted a proposal.

According to Aumentado, the approved budget of the contract (ABC) was P10,666,914.83 or P820,531.90 for each unit. This unit price is allegedly P17,000 higher than the selling price of a local Isuzu dealer.

The submitted price of Isuzu Mandaue exactly matched the ABC.

However, the governor justified that due to government procurement rules which requires deductions of 1% for EVAT and a withholding tax of 5%, the net cost of each unit is already P771,709.41.

Aumentado said the net price is much lower than the alleged selling price of a local supplier which is P783,000.

The purchase of new vehicles for provincial board members provoked a public debate as most of the existing vehicles of the lawmakers are still serviceable.

Board members explained that the purchase of new vehicles were necessary for them to efficiently attend to the needs and concerns of their constituents.

Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera himself said that the vehicles are “a necessity rather than a luxury”.

The plan to buy new vehicles started in 2005, when Herrera objected to the high maintenance and repair costs incurred by the provincial government on the old vehicles.

Aumentado said under the Government Procurement Act, awarding a contract to a lone bidder is allowed as long as the bid price submitted is responsive to ABC.
(By: KIT BAGAIPO)

ERC to rule on franchise tax; Critics “no show” at hearing

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) can now rule on a petition filed by Bohol Light Company Inc. (BLCI) to collect franchise taxes from its power consumers.

Not a single oppositor on Bohol Light’s petition attended the public hearing called by the ERC last August 28 despite a much-hyped opposition led by Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim who challenged the legal personality of the utility firm.

ERC Commissioner Rauf Tan, who presided the public hearing, said the failure of the oppositors to manifest their position on Bohol Light’s petition will be treated as a waiver of their right to argue their position on the matter.

Lim, together with Nemesio Monton of the Tagbilaran Association of Concerned Consumers Organization (Tacco), were the main oppositors of the petition.

During the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) regular session on Friday, Kag. Anne Mariquit Oppus queried on the mayor’s failure to attend the ERC hearing.

Kag. Danilo Bantugan explained that the legal panel representing the mayor had decided for a no show before the August 28 hearing.

The statement of Bantugan contradicted the mayor’s explanation yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report”.

According to Lim, the notice of the hearing was received by his office on August 26. However, he was able to read it only on September 1 as he was in Manila for the ISA presentation.

A check made by the Chronicle at the LBC, the mail courier of the ERC notice, revealed that the notices were received by Bohol Light, the City Legal Office, the Mayor’s Office and Monton’s legal counsel Atty. Magdoza all on August 22.

Bohol Light will charge P36.5 million worth of franchise taxes it paid to the national and city governments since 2001.

The franchise taxes will be added as a separate item on the monthly electric bills of consumers for a period of three years.

It may be recalled that Lim opposed the tax recovery measure and raised a pre-judicial question regarding the validity of Bohol Light’s franchise that was issued by the National Electrification Commission on July 10, 2003.

Citing the provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) that gave exclusive authority to the House of Representatives in issuing franchises in the transmission and distribution of electricity, Lim asked the ERC, to rule first on the franchise issue before giving due course to Bohol Light’s petition. (With reports from Chito Visarra)
(By KIT BAGAIPO)

Panglao agrees to bid water supplier

The tourists’ haven of Panglao would finally get the potable water, as elusively pursued during the past decade due to political intramurals among its local officials.

This breakthrough came last Friday after the provincial leadership intervened to “rescue” the never ending debates on which waterworks utilities would serve the water requirements in the various beach resorts and the residences of this coastal municipality.


Gov. Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto took time to preside over a public consultation/hearing to resolve the deadlock on the water issue which dates back to the previous administration of then Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan.

The urgency to solve the water issue came as the construction of the proposed Panglao Bohol International Airport is slated to commence first quarter of next year.

The five-hour public consultation at the Panglao Island Community Center was attended by some 100 stakeholders including resort owners who expressed dismay on the delayed resolution of the water controversy.

In their efforts to prove attendees that they are also in search for the entry of a waterworks utilities, Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes made an unprecedented move to convene a special session of the Sangguniang Bayan in the presence of the stakeholders who were eager to know the final decision to be reached by the warring political factions.

The public consultation paved the way to the holding of the special session where the town lawmakers were united, for the first time, to approve an open competitive bidding for whichever waterworks firms interested to serve Panglao especially with the forthcoming construction of an airport.

Provincial BM Ae Damalerio was appointed to moderate the public hearing.Aumentado praised Alcala, Fuertes and the councilors for showing true statesmanship “by putting the interest of Panglao and its people first over and above their personal interests.”Following the PowerPoint presentation of lawyer John Titus Vistal, provincial planning and development coordinator, that gave a choice between a competitive bidding or open access mode of implementing the waterworks system improvement, the choice of the stakeholders, the mayor and the SB gravitated towards competitive bidding.The town gets to operate the existing waterworks system and stands to gain from the economic enterprise. It will also revamp the existing pipe network, making use of a 14-inch diameter mainline, taking care that the it as well as lateral lines do not cross the runway of the Panglao Bohol International Airport, and expand the pipe network to all sitios. The winning bidder will source the water from mainland Bohol.In contrast, the open access mode will allow several entities at the same time to install pipelines from their respective water sources outside of Panglao going to the town as well a build their respective piping networks to serve their consumers. This augurs well for a healthy competition – making water services good but keeping the prices down. Alcala said the water problem – although long suffered by the residents – is relatively easy to solve. All he needed, more than the money to upgrade the existing pipelines, expand the water system to cover all barangays and sitios, and to buy the fresh water that has to be sourced from outside of the island, is “concerted efforts” from the SB. During his previous term, he had started looking for solutions to the perennial lack of fresh water in Panglao but, he lamented, his successor, Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan, did not pursue the plans, hence the problem has persisted until now – his first term as mayor again when given a fresh mandate in 2007 by the people..For his part, Fuertes said at least four companies have presented proposals already. The SB would like to tap the one most beneficial to the resort town to address once and for all the salty and insufficient water supply.The SB members also took turns expressing their intention to solve the water lack.The competitive bidding mode ultimately won.Aumentado and Chatto expressed elation that the water issue was finally resolved.Realizing that they had the same objective with the mayor after all – to provide the Panglaoanons including the tourists with potable, sanitary and safe drinking tap water instead of the salty one available from current sources – the SB passed as resolution in a special session within Friday’s public consultation to adopt the competitive bidding mode.The governor assigned Vistal to sit down with the municipal planning and development coordinator and the town’s recently created technical working group (TWG) for water to craft the terms of reference so that the notice of bidding can be published the soonest possible time.Friday’s public consultation in essence scrapped the SB’s plan to tap the Asia Mizu, Inc. a Cebu-based company that had expressed interest to bulk-supply fresh water. The SB even already passed a resolution authorizing Alcala to enter into a contract with the company for the bulk water deal.Alcala however balked, saying he is not keen on signing the contract because in the first place, he has not even seen it.

He questioned the resolution favoring Asia Mizu when there are other suppliers like the Bohol Water Utilities, Inc., Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. and the Maynilad Water, Inc. that have also expressed interest in providing bulk water supply.