THE Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has officially extended the term of Interim General Manager Fermin Jarales and the Interim Board of Directors (IBOD) of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) for another three months.
LWUA Chairman Ronnie Ong confirmed the extension in a letter dated November 27, following the administration’s 1,020th regular meeting.
The extension grants continued authority to Jarales and the IBOD to oversee policy-making and management responsibilities for COWD until February 28, 2025.
The decision came after Jarales presented a five-year development plan for COWD during a meeting with LWUA on November 22.
Jarales had earlier acknowledged in a press conference that significant work remains to stabilize operations at the water district.
In the letter, LWUA outlined key requirements for the extension period:
⬣ Submission of a detailed report on actions taken during the previous intervention, including a timeline of planned activities and milestones, by January 29, 2024.
⬣ Continuation of the suspension of the regular board of directors, who are prohibited from exercising their functions during the intervention period.
Additionally, Ong emphasized that any previously appointed general manager who had resigned remains barred from performing managerial duties, though they may be assigned specific tasks by Jarales.
The extension aims to ensure the completion of critical reforms and development initiatives under the oversight of the interim leadership.
