By CESAR JOLITO III
The Bacolod City Water District Employees Union–National Federation of Labor Unions (BEU-NAFLU) has welcomed the removal of Mona Dia Jardin as general manager of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa), saying the move is a step toward accountability for the controversial joint venture agreement (JVA) with PrimeWater.
In a statement, the 59-member union said Jardin was one of the “chief architects” of the JVA, which they claim led to the deterioration of water services in Bacolod and their illegal dismissal in 2021.
“This development marks a significant step toward our pursuit of justice for our illegal dismissal,” BEU-NAFLU said.
“Her ouster signals that the people of Bacolod have had enough of poor service and mismanagement,” it added.
The Baciwa board of directors earlier approved Jardin’s removal through Resolution No. 63, citing “loss of confidence” in her leadership.
Meanwhile, BEU-NAFLU urged the Local Water Utilities Administration to investigate the circumstances surrounding the JVA, stressing that it has caused “substandard service and hardship” for hundreds of thousands of Bacolod residents.
They also renewed calls to review and possibly reconsider the deal, rallying behind their longstanding advocacy: “Serbisyo, indi negosyo.”
Soliva steps in as acting GM
Engineer Michael Soliva has officially assumed office as Baciwa acting general manager following his designation by the board of directors through a resolution.
Soliva, the former head of Baciwa’s Environment, Water Resource, Sewerage, and Sanitation Management Division, took the reins at a time of transition.
In his message to consumers, Soliva assured that his priority is to improve the quality and consistency of the water supply in partnership with PrimeWater while ensuring the continuity of the district’s operations.
“The public can expect that we will work to provide better supply and quality of water. At the same time, we will continue the regular functions and services of the district,” Soliva said.
He added that he may be tasked with additional responsibilities, including the management of documents related to the eco-park project, if the board of directors assigns it to his office./CJ, WDJ