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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

WITH the city’s water supply improving, a councilor said the city council’s committee on public utilities would start focusing on the members of the board of the Cagayan de Oro Water District, and go over their curricula vitae.

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Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr. said the committee which he chairs would look into the qualifications of the COWD directors one by one in an effort to determine if the composition of the policy-making body of the water district is responsive to calls for efficient, effective and competent operations of the city’s tap water provider.

Lao said the committee would also meet again and look into defects in the COWD management as well as go over the controversial contract between Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc. and COWD.

At least two members of the COWD board — broadcaster Joel Baldelovar and Soc Anthony del Rosario — had a hand in the controversial contract.

Baldelovar is now the vice chairman while del Rosario is the board’s secretary. They were reappointed in 2013, and they would serve as directors of the COWD board until 2018.

The other members of the COWD board are Eduardo Antonio Montalvan, chairman;  lawyer Mateo Delegencia, Concepcion Quiblat, and Neogen Chavez (DBP observer).

Montalvan was appointed in 2015 and his term is up to 2020. Delegencia and Quiblat, who were appointed this year, would serve in the COWD board until 2022.

“Ang COWD wala mi-uban sa kalambuan sa Cagayan de Oro. Nabiyaan kita, paspas ang asenso sa dakbayan but ang atong water system wala maka-align,” Lao said.

He said has observed that some members of the COWD board are not experts in water district operations.

“Mao kini ang kamatuoran. Kinahanglan ang mabutang diha dunay expertise sa ilang trabaho on how to improve sa ilang trabaho. Dili kita makadaug as competitive city kay walay mahimo ang water district board,” he said.

He said the COWD directors would be invited by the city council so they could present their plans for the water district.

COWD directors are appointed by the mayor to serve a fixed term.

Lao complained: “[The] capacity to upgrade is lacking… Gaka-ulahi ta permi. The board of directors and other technical persons should know how to improve their services.”

Earlier, Mayor Oscar Moreno called on the COWD to shape up and be attuned to the city’s development.

Engr. Bienvenido Batar Jr., COWD assistant general manager, said the observations of local officials should be taken seriously.

“Makahinuklog kini nga mga observation. We will have to take the comment positively,” Batar said.

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