Coops plan to give COWD competition

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE city council’s public utilities committee has given a group of cooperatives the green light to start pooling their resources in an effort to compete with the Cagayan de Oro Water District.

Councilor Teoldulfo Lao Jr., committee chairman, told the Gold Star Daily over the weekend that the group has been told to start processing its papers.

“Ako silang gi-ingnan nga i-process nila ang ilang mga needed documents kay akoy bahala dinhi sa city council,” said Lao.

The Cooperative Development Authority approved the group’s name, “Metro Cagayan de Oro Water Service Cooperative” of MCWS.

Eduardo Montalvan, COWD chairman, welcomed Lao’s announcement about a potential competition.

He said the Supreme Court already ruled that public utilities like the COWD have no exclusive rights.

“There is nothing we can do about it. We ackowledge that, and we welcome any competition,” Montalvan said.

But he said the undertaking is not going to be a work in the park for any potential COWD competitor because it would mean a huge investment to build a massive infrastructure network for production, treatment and distribution.

“That’s something (competing with the water district) not even the Ayalas have considered doing because of the kind of investment needed,” said Montalvan. “But if they think they can do it, then they’re welcome. Where will they get their water?”

Lao said he has met with some of the cooperative leaders in the city like Dr. Anselmo Mercado and Edgardo Micayabas of the First Community Cooperative (Ficco) who have expressed interest in working to establish a new tap water distributor in the city.

He said Mercado and other cooperative leaders were already working on their papers with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).

Lao said other cooperatives involved are the Oro Integrated Cooperative, a Del Monte-based cooperative and at least 13 others.

He said the idea of organizing a new cooperative that would compete with the COWD was due to the increased cost of treated water in the city.

Last month, COWD started receiving a daily supply of treated water from the Manny V. Pangilinan-controlled Cagayan de Oro Bulkwater Inc. for P16 per cubic meter. Before January, the price was P10.45 per cubic meter. COWD however said it has not passed on the higher cost of treated water to consumers.

Lao said the new group plans to start small by supplying treated water to subdivisions and areas where the COWD water supply is problematic, and then slowly expand.

He said the group plans construct its own facilities and lay down its own pipes, initially, in the city’s 1st District. Its projected selling price of water is P8 pesos per cubic meter.

“Mas maayo nang na-ay kompitinsiya kay tan-awa karon nga walay kompitinsiya ang COWD, mahal ang ilang baligya nga tubig kanato nga mga consumers,” Lao said.