ON DECEMBER 14, 2017, Iloilo City mayor Jose Espinosa III announced that he was not recognizing the current composition of the Board of Directors of the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD).
In a letter to MIWD, he ordered the incumbent directors to cease and desist from further performing their powers and functions as members of the Board because their existence has been terminated by virtue of the decision of the Supreme Court that the law authorizing their appointments was VOID from the very beginning.
The city mayor therefore made his own appointments to the MIWD Board citing Presidential Decree (PD) No. 198 as his authority or the Water Utilities Act of 1973, as amended, and the decision of the Supreme Court (Rama vs. Moises et al., G.R. No. 197146) which was promulgated on Dec. 6, 2016, and became final and executor on Aug. 8, 2017.
New appointees to the Board by the mayor were Felicito Tiu (for sectoral organizations), Rebecca Maravilla (women’s sector), Dr. Ray Celis (civic-oriented service clubs), Antonio Sangrador (sectoral organizations / professional associations), and Ronald Raymund Sebastian (educational institutions). They will replace the old board members appointed prior to the Supreme Court ruling.
With the new appointments made by Mayor Espinosa, Acting Administrator Jeci Lapuz of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) ordered MIWD in his letter dated June 18, 2018 to submit their comments within 10 days from receipt thereof so that he can act on the matter.
We hope this issue as to who sits in the Board of MIWD may be decided soon by LWUA to meet the fast and expanding needs of business in our area.
For example, during the month of June alone, we have seen the inauguration and of three large shopping malls in Iloilo City and the suburbs, namely, the Vista Mall at the Iloilo City Circumferential Road Southwest of the city proper, the third Robinsons Mall located in Ungka, Pavia, Iloilo north of the city, and the Festive Walk Mall at Megaworld’s Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, just launched and opened this weekend.
With the fast commercial expansion that we see in Iloilo, we support the city administration’s concern for such a vital service as providing adequate water supply especially for the business sector that serves the general public.
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Historical Quote of the Week
“The only Filipino nominated to the Supreme Court of Cuba – Raymundo Melliza of Molo, Iloilo City.” (For comments or reactions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com)/PN
