BOARD OUSTED

LWUA, management install new directors at MIWD
By Tara Yap

THE management of Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) has installed an interim set of board of directors.

Effective Monday, MIWD general manager Le Jayme Jalbuena recognized the nullification of its previous board of directors through the orders of Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

LWUA administrator Daniel Landingin named Emmanuel Malicdem as interim board chairman replacing Celso Javelosa. Replacing Engr. Adrian Moncada as vice-chairman is Hermilo Balucan.

Interim members are Atty. Romeo Gerochi for the professional sector, Dr. Jessica Salas for women, and Enrique Gita.

Jalbuena explained that the decision of MIWD management was based on Presidential Decree 198.

PD 198’s Section 3-B stipulates that it is the power of the city mayor to appoint the board of directors of a water district if 75% of its water connections are found within the political boundary of a city. If water connections fall below 75%, the appointing power is the provincial governor.

Jalbuena said that based on service connections beginning August 2005, the city’s percentage of water connections fell below the minimum of 75% with only 74.97%. From August 2005 until to the present, the percentage continued to drop. As of October 2010, the city’s connection was only 69.91%.

According to Jalbuena, the current figures do not give Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog the appointing authority.

However, Jalbuena clarified that the interim board will only exercise its functions temporarily as LWUA and the management awaits Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. to appoint the new set of board.

Danilo Encarnacion, one of the ousted directors, was shocked by Jalbuena’s move.

“I’m not shocked with LWUA. I’m more shocked with Le Jayme’s decision in recognizing the interim board,” Encarnacion said.

Encarnacion stressed that Jalbuena is conniving with LWUA as a means to halt the project on the bulk water supply, which aims to give consumers better water services.

The bulk water was conceptualized to augment MIWD’s water supply by 30,000 cubic meters to be supplied by private companies.

MIWD is supposed to bid the project to interested firms next month to ease the water shortage middle of 2011.

Encarnacion, along with Javelosa and Moncada, were banned from entering MIWD building Tuesday even with police escorts.

The Javelosa group is expected to lodge a legal case against Jalbuena and LWUA.