Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy said on Friday that he asked the owner of bulk water firm Rio Verde Water Consortium to ensure that the city’s households won’t lose water after April 12.

 

In his Friday program ‘Ang Inyong Alagad Mayor Klarex Uy’, Mayor Klarex said he talked with former congressman now businessman Pepito Alvarez last Tuesday and secured his assurance that the city’s households won’t lose water after April 12, the deadline extension given by another bulk water supplier Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI).

 

COBI issued the April 12 deadline extension after issuing the fourth disconnection notice to the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) last March. COBI said COWD owed them P426 million in collectibles as stated in their 2018 contract which allows COBI to collect an incremental P3 increase in water rates every three years.

 

COWD refused to pay the P426 million citing force majeure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the refusal of their board of directors to file a resolution acknowledging the imposition of the P3 incremental increase in water rates.

Mayor Klarex said he isn’t against any increase so long as it’s justified in terms of servicing the public’s water needs.

 

‘(Alvarez) talked with Metro-Pacific (COBI majority owner) Manny Pangilinan before I met with him and he was thankful to the City Council for passing the resolution of no objection that will allow Rio Verde to directly allow them to supply water to the city’s households. He assured me that the city’s families won’t lose water,’ Mayor Klarex said.

 

Should COBI disconnect its service to COWD after 11:59 pm of April 12, COWD general manager Engr. Antonio Young said it would take them a maximum of one day to transition from COBI to Rio Verde and other water suppliers.

Last Thursday, Young called on the city’s households to stock up on water for their needs until water service is restored.

 

‘At the same time, I asked Mr. Alvarez to allow COWD and COBI to continue their negotiations (and settle their dispute). COWD officials attended our management committee and I reminded the COWD officials to deal and negotiate with COBI. It’s better that they resolve their differences so they (won’t inconvenience) the people of Cagayan de Oro,’ Mayor Klarex said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)