5 Cebu water district execs get ax for utility’s bad service

CEBU CITY—Five officials of the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) had been fired amid unspecified accusations of unsatisfactory services by the water district

Among those removed were Joely Mari Yu, as chair of the MCWD board; Ralph Sevilla, as vice chair; Cecilia Jugao-Adlawan, as secretary; Augustus Pe Jr., as board member and Procopio Fernandez as board member.

Mayor Edgardo Labella said in a letter terminating the officials’ services that it was with a “heavy heart” that he was firing them. “It is a fact that consumers of MCWD have been greatly dissatisfied with its present service,” the mayor’s Oct. 15 letter said, without giving details of consumer dissatisfaction.

Still without specifying the complaints, Labella said the local government units of three cities, four towns and the province of Cebu, through resolutions passed by their legislative assemblies, had demanded action on poor services of MCWD.

Because of “this widespread dissatisfaction,” Labella said “I am constrained to terminate your services.” The termination takes effect on Oct. 15.

Copies of the termination order had been furnished MCWD general manager Jose Eugenio Singson Jr. and Local Water Utilities Administration acting chief Joel Lapus./TSB