CONSUMERS group Water Watch has manifested its opposition to the reported privatization plan of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa).
In a letter submitted to Baciwa general manager Engineer Mario Macatangay and the Board of Directors on Monday, October 3, the group said the unsolicited proposal of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is disadvantageous to the consumers.
MPIC’s wholly owned subsidiary MetroPac Water Investments Corp. (MWIC) has proposed to form a joint venture corporation with Baciwa.
Wennie Sancho, secretary general of Water Watch, said the exorbitant cost of the proposed project and the unabated water rate increase that shall follow will be an additional financial burden to the consumers, particularly the poor.
“Service and not profit should be our concern thus, we should not allow private companies to amass huge profit at the expense of the consumers,” Sancho said, adding that “Baciwa as a government water utility, does not operate for profit, but to serve the people.”
Water Watch recalled that in its advocacy to protect the rights and welfare of consumers, it had also vehemently opposed the proposal of Miya-Maynilad to address the non-revenue water (NRW) and expansion program of Baciwa in 2013.
Sancho said they are calling on the water district to defer any action on the unsolicited proposal that would lead to privatization.
Moreover, Water Watch has called on Baciwa for a dialogue today to also discuss other issues concerning water services.
The group wants to be updated on P500-million loan refinance by the Development Bank of the Philippines, and on the completion of at least five deep wells in September this year, Sancho said.
