THE ZAMBOANGA City Water District or ZCWD has virtually thumbed down insinuations made by political foes of Mayor Beng Climaco over the issue of the local government’s alleged unpaid water bills.
Arnold Martin Atilano, ZCWD Chairman of the Board, said they have no problems with the local government. “Nohay gayot kita problema con el LGU. Bien bueno el partnership diaton na LGU,” Atilano emphasized.
He said the local government’s account with the ZCWD is still being reviewed due to the strict rules of the Commission on Audit or COA. “It is true, but there are matters still under review and for verification as the process of working out payments due to strict COA rules are taking time to sort out,” Atilano said.
He added that ZCWD extended due considerations to the local government so as not to hamper critical services and assistance it is providing the public, particularly during calamities and disasters.
Atilano said the City Government is paying its obligations and not negligent in its duties to the ZCWD.
The ZCWD, Atilano said, also suspended temporarily all disconnection of water meters of its consumers who have unpaid bills last year due to the pandemic, but resumed this only last month.
Atilano also cited the benevolent support of the Climaco administration to the ZCWD and its consumers, saying nearly P80 million in assistance were provided by the local government for various water projects in different barangays. “Sabe gayot kita el local government ta ayuda gayot con el Water District,” he said.
Last year, the local government also handed over some P29.36 million in cheque to the ZCWD as part of its assistance to tens of thousands of bonafide concessionaires. The P500 one-time cash subsidy to water concessionaires - as promised by Climaco - was credited to the account of the concessionaires upon payment of their bill and part of the City Government’s assistance due to the pandemic.
Climaco also inaugurated last year the Sagana at Ligtas na
Tubig Para sa Lahat (Salintubig) Program and assured that the local government
will continue working with the ZCWD to ensure potable water supply where it is
needed.
The mayor said some 12,000 meters of pipelines were laid to provide potable water supply to Barangays Talon-Talon, Maasin, Patalon, Recodo, Cawit, Mampang and Quiniput.
The program is designed to provide water supply systems for barangays and enhance the capacity of the local governments and water service providers in the planning, implementation, and operation of water supply facilities.
It also aims to increase water service for the waterless population by 50% and reduce incidence of water-borne and sanitation related diseases by 20% and to improve access of the poor to sanitation services by at least 10%. (Jasmine Mohammadsali, Zamboanga Post)
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