GSD FILE PHOTO courtesy of COWD
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By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

THE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has given the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned Metro Pacific Water Investments Corp. and the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) the green light to momentarily proceed with their 2017 joint venture agreement.

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This was revealed yesterday by James Judith, the lawyer of councilors Teodulfo Lao Jr., Enrico Salcedo and Reuben Daba who filed a complaint and asked the PCC to void the Metro Pacific-COWD deal.

The joint venture agreement resulted in the creation of the firm Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (Cobi) that has been COWD’s lone supplier of treated water since January.

According to Judith, the PCC, through investigator Armando Polinar, resolved to allow the Pangilinan group to continue supplying treated water until the volume of reaches over 100 million liters a day.

Judith said he and the councilors were unhappy with the PCC ruling and so, they submitted a motion for reconsideration two Fridays ago.

In their appeal, the councilors asked the Commission to come up with a clear ruling on their petition to nullify the Metro Pacific-COWD agreement.

Judith quoted Polinar as stating in the resolution that the PCC would step in to ensure competition in the bulk water supply only when COWD’s demand for treated water goes beyond 100 million liters a day.

There is still a shortage in the supply of treated water, particularly in the western areas of the city up to Opol town in Misamis Oriental. COWD’s demand is 60 million liters a day but the average delivery from Cobi is only some 40 million liters a day or even less since January. Cobi is scheduled to shut down its operations tonight in order to install a booster pump in an effort to meet COWD’s daily demand of 60 million liters within this month.

“Dili kami mosugot ana nga resolution kay nahulog nga gi-monopolize gihapon  sa Metropac ang pag-supply sa tubig sa COWD kay wala pa  baya makaabot sa 100 million liters a day ang tubig nga gipalit sa water district sa Metropac,” said Judith.

He said the PCC should issue a ruling to void the 2017 Metro Pacific-COWD agreement or reject the petition of the councilors.

Councilor Lao expressed disappointment over the PCC ruling, saying that he and the two other councilors would pursue the case if only to ensure an efficient, stable and reliable supply of water in the city.

“Kon pananglit maka-supply na ang Cobi sa  60 thousand cubic meters per day sa COWD unya insufficient lang gihapon ang water supply kay daghan gihapon sa katawhan ang walay tubig? Dili puwede na,” Lao said.

Lao said a healthy competition among bulk water supply players would ensure a stable and relaible supply of water in the city.

He said competition may also bring down the cost of treated water in the city.

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