NEWS BRIEFS
COMPOSTELA WATER TALKS
THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and Compostela town officials have re-opened talks on the use of the 14 groundwater wells and pumping stations established in the northern town in 1992 but have remained unused.
These wells, once operational, are seen to help address the increasing water demand of Metro Cebu.
Mayor Joel Quino asked MCWD General Manager Armando Paredes in their March 20 meeting to give a proposal so he can present this to the council.
MCWD Public Affairs Department Manager Charmaine Rodriguez said they would submit the proposal to the mayor within the week.
“Our proposal will include MCWD’s plans for the 14 groundwater wells and pumping stations and the percentage of revenue shares that would go to Compostela town,” she told Cebu Daily News.
The wells are expected to produce 15, 000 cubic meters of water per day./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
CITY COUNCIL CHANGES
COUNCILOR Augustus Pe Jr. will replace Councilor Edgar Labella as majority floor leader of the Cebu City Council when a reorganization starts after the Holy Week
Pe said they have to wait for other councilors to return before implementing the changes, as a sign of respect.
Councilors Labella and Eduardo Rama Jr. are in Yokohama, Japan, on official travel as part of Mayor Michael Rama’s delegation.
The group left on Tuesday and will be back on Sunday.
Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said since Pe is the council’s first assistant majority floor leader, he is next in line to replace Labella.
Young added that with councilors Labella, Rama, Jose Daluz III and Ronald Cuenco’s declaration of support for Rama’s reelection bid, he deems it proper that they also give up their existing posts and committee chairmanships because they are now considered the minority.
Rama heads the public services committee, Daluz chairs the agriculture committee while Cuenco heads the health committee ./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
AGUS BUDGET ROW
THE barangay captain of Agus in Lapu-lapu City plans to file a complaint before the Visayas Ombudsman against his councilors for sitting on his proposed 2012 budget.
Barangay captain Remegio Oyao complained that the opposition councilors did not act on the budget proposal he submitted last February causing delay in the implementation of projects.
Because of this, Oyao said he has to use his own money to fund important projects and implemented austerity measures.
Barangay Agus is now operating on a reenacted 2011 budget. Oyao only has two allies in the council, five are opposition councilors.
One of the opposition councilors, Julian Fuentes, explained they did not approve the proposed budget because Oyao left the appropriation for the item Road and Street Lighting blank.
Fuentes also said Oyao just gave the proposal for them to sign without deliberation. /CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MEN DOZA
