LWUA takes over Cagayan de Oro water district

INQUIRER FILES

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) on Wednesday took over the operation of Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD).

The takeover is in response to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address water issues in the city.

The LWUA Board of Trustees firmed up Resolution No. 34 on May 17, 2024 decreeing the agency’s “full intervention” into COWD.

READ: Marcos steps in to end water woes in CDO

LWUA BOT secretary Julius Paolo Basa said that the takeover is in line with its regulatory powers over all water districts in the country, based on Presidential Decree No. 198.

In a statement, LWUA chairman Ronnie Ong said they conducted an assessment of the COWD’s situation, especially on its various violations constituting default under the Financial Assistance Contract (FAC) before taking over the COWD management.

“This is just an appropriate, timely, and required takeover, with directive from the President to look into managing the water district, LWUA as regulator has assessed and ensured the legality and lawfulness of this full intervention,” Ong said.

The takeover removes the current Regular Board of Directors, who were ordered to immediately cease and desist from exercising their functions.

The takeover also removes current general Mlmanager Antonio Young, but he will be retained and will be assigned “certain duties by the interim general manager,” Ong said.

“Antonio Ramirez, a veteran LWUA engineer,  has been designated as interim BOD chair, while Fermin Jarales as interim general manager.”