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Protests await bulk water awarding

BAGUIO CITY (July 30) — Convenors of the Baguio-based PRO-CONSUMERS’ Movement said today that it will exert all efforts to block the awarding of the contract for the Bulk Water Supply Project (BWSP) by Baguio Water District (BWD) to Benguet Corporation (BC).

“Sisingilin natin ang BWD kapag ibinigay nito ang kontrata sa BC,” Jeannette Ribaya, a bonafide Baguio resident and PRO-CONSUMERS convenor, said in an interview. “We will make BWD accountable to the people of Metro-Baguio for that,” she added.

Ribaya recalls that the BC has not settled issues and concerns raised by Baguio consumers against the BWSP. She told NORDIS that if BWD grants the contract despite non-compliance of BC, people should start digging deeper into the circumstances surrounding the bids and the awards.

“Gugulatin na naman nila ang mga tao,” (They will again take us by surprise) Ribaya recounts, “Although we knew from the start that it was like a done deal, we will still want to see for whom BC is doing its actions.”

NORDIS learned from a reliable source that the awarding might take place anytime from Monday, August 1. An official of the BC reportedly visited the recent meeting of the BWD and allegedly convinced the Board of Directors (BoD) to award the contract, our source revealed.

There has been some suspicions that a handsome amount influenced the BWD-BoD decisions, Ribaya said, “siguro naniningil na ngayon ang BC” (Perhaps BC is now saying that it is payback time).

BWD-BoD deferred the awarding of the bulk water supply project after its meeting on May 13 because of some issues and concerns that had to be resolved before the awarding of the contract.

Among these issues and concerns are expected increases in water rates because BC is offering P39.99 per cubic meters while BWD currently sells at only P21.08. Aside from the rates, there are questions on the water quality and the capability of BC to deliver the 50,000 cubic meters per day.

Itogon municipal council also raised several of its concerns in two Sangguniang Bayan Resolutions. Among these, Itogon dads questioned the priority for the water supply from Itogon. They also raised the legality of converting the open pit mine site into a water reservoir, saying that it is not in the Mine Rehabilitation Plan BC earlier submitted to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Even BC’s property rights to the reservoir area were put to the test by Itogon councilors. Its mining lease contracts are supposedly expiring before the 25-year water supply proposal would lapse.

Baguio City likewise submitted its objection in view of its increased rates and its potability through a letter signed by Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon.

According to Ribaya, the BWD-BOD earlier acknowledged that there are flaws in the bulk water supply project as proposed by BC. Consumers in Metro-Baguio, she said, are yet to see how the lone qualified bidder met these limitations and concerns.

PRO-CONSUMERS have consistently opposed the bulk water project. It has manifested these in various mass protest actions. Ribaya said, consumers would not just take the awarding of the contract sitting down. “Magpoprotesta uli kami,” (We will stage a protest again) she emphasized. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS

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