The Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center (SAC) and the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) employees’ union launched their “Amlig Tubig Coalition” over the weekend, which, according to SAC head, Rev. Fr. Chris Gonzales, intends on monitoring developments pertaining to the utility firm’s proposed joint venture with PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation.
Despite Baciwa Board of Directors chair, Atty. Lorendo Dilag, earlier declaring the board’s opposition to privatization and affirming the joint venture with PrimeWater is not privatization, Gonzales said the coalition intends to “educate” consumers about privatization.
Bacolod City Councilor Wilson Gamboa, Jr., who also attended the press conference, reiterated that the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or Controlled Corporation (GCG), which is under the Office of the President, received a letter sent by Bacolod Water Consumers Watch, Inc., or Bacolod Water Watch, regarding the proposal; along with receiving replies from the Office of the Solicitor General and Department of Justice indicating their intention to review all private water concessionaire contracts.
Last week, Baciwa revealed the proposed joint venture had reportedly advanced past the negotiation stage with Dilag, confirming they are currently preparing their terms of reference and competitive bidding is scheduled to begin in a month.
In operation for over 30 years, PrimeWater provides services including water system development, bulk water supply, water supply improvement and rehabilitation, along with a sewage waste management program./DGB, WDJ