City dad laments slow water restoration works, calls out MCWD

Local

A LOCAL legislator questioned the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) over what he described as slow restoration works and governance issues that continue to delay the return of regular water supply to several barangays more than a month after Typhoon Tino struck Cebu.

Councilor Harold Go, in a privilege speech during the City Council’s regular session, said many households in the city’s north district and other affected areas remain without a stable supply 35 days after the typhoon damaged MCWD’s main lines and critical facilities.

Go said residents still depend on water rationing, tankers, and private donations, with some families lining up late at night to fill containers.

“Tubig ni. Dili ni optional service. Water is a basic necessity and a basic right,” he said.

Go acknowledged the difficulties faced by MCWD and its private contractors, including submerged booster pumps, broken transmission lines, and challenges in sourcing replacement parts.

But he said the pace of the restoration has been unacceptable.

He cited uneven work deployment, manpower shortages, and the lack of simultaneous repair operations. He added that his office had to source and fly in electrical contact grease from Luzon to help restart damaged equipment.

Go also flagged internal issues within MCWD, including the absence of a functioning Board of Directors.

He said the water district does not have the minimum number of board members needed to legally approve contracts, major repairs, procurement, and other important actions.

He noted that MCWD has had no approved safety plan for the past three years, raising concerns about compliance and disaster preparedness.

Go posed several questions to the water district, including why contractors were not required to work 24/7, how MCWD monitored personnel deployment, why a single pump failure affected large areas, and how the utility decided which barangays to prioritize during repairs.

Go said the prolonged outage continues to burden families already affected by the flooding.

“This is about children going to school without bathing, elderly persons carrying pails upstairs, and mothers unable to clean post-flood mud,” he said. “Public health is at risk. Dignity is at risk. Trust in the government is at risk.”

Go moved for several actions, including the noting of his privilege speech and the holding of an executive session with MCWD, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), Watermatic, JE Hydro, DENR, and CCENRO.

He also called for MCWD to submit complete restoration timelines, technical reports, and deployment logs, as well as a review of all water-related contracts, penalties, and emergency response requirements.

Additionally, Go urged the establishment of protocols for tanker deployment and advance notice during service interruptions, the posting of daily public updates on MCWD’s official Facebook page, and a comprehensive review of the city’s water security framework.

Go’s statements came days after Archival appointed former MCWD chairman and veteran banker Ruben Almendras as the new civic sector representative to the MCWD board, filling one of the vacancies that have prevented it from forming a quorum.

Archival said Almendras’ experience in the water sector and his integrity made him a suitable choice.

“Number one tan-aw nako dili corrupt. Kahibaw siya sa trabaho sa water. No question of his integrity. He is Cebuano,” the mayor said.

City Hall stepped in after MCWD failed to submit its list of nominees within the period required under Presidential Decree 198, the law governing local water districts.

Almendras will serve from Dec. 9, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2028.(TGP)