"THIS is a lesson to Bacolod City because our commodity, which is water, has been decided by only seven people, and these seven people will be held accountable for the next 25 years."
This was stressed by Bacolod City Councilor Archie Baribar after the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) has signed a 25-year Joint Venture Agreement with Prime Water Infrastructure Corporation last week for the management and development of the water district.
Baribar, chairperson of the City Council committee on energy, said he is hopeful that Prime a Water can deliver their promise.
"I just hope that they can deliver their promise because looking at the track records of the Prime Water in other local government units (LGU). It is very dissatisfactory. I don't know how will we live with this in the next 25 years," he said.
He added: "These seven people will be held accountable for the next 25 years, long after we are all gone and they are also gone. So I just hope they can deliver but the way I see it, the track record, I cannot be optimistic."
Baribar also urged Baciwa to provide a copy of the contract to the city government because the matter is imbued with the public interest.
Lawyer Lorendo Dilag, chairman of the Baciwa board, earlier said the Joint Agreement will commence on November 1, 2020, after the three-month transition period.
Dilag said Prime Water will infuse a total of P6.8 billion in terms of projects. Of the total amount, Prime Water will infuse P1.6 billion for the first five years for the pipe laying and repair of pipes, P2 billion in the fifth year and a total of P6.8 billion for 25 years.
He said all the improvements infused after 25 years will go to Baciwa when the contract is finished.
Dilag added the concessionaires can access all the details of the joint venture agreement especially under the Freedom of Information Law.
For his part, Romeo Sabatir, vice president of Prime Water, also earlier said Prime Water will be in charge of the day to day operation during the duration of the contract but the present Board of Directors will still be there until the duration of their term.
Sabatir said the two parties will exist and Baciwa will still be there and will be in charge of some basic control, giving directions, hitting targets and make sure that Prime Water will implement what they have committed based on a schedule.
As to the possible rate increase, Sabatir said it is expected during the duration of the agreement but it would not be outright on November 1 during the commencement of the agreement.
He said that any rate increase will be reviewed by Baciwa and will undergo a public hearing. It will be approved by the regulatory agency.
