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[av_heading heading=’Will Baciwa fee hike take effect today?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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February 1, 2018
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BACOLOD City – The P13 increase in the Meter Repair and Maintenance Fee (now named as Service Connection and Maintenance Fee) of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) is “grossly disadvantageous to consumers,” according to Water Watch secretary-general Wennie Sancho.
Sancho, who was at the Jan. 30 public hearing on the maintenance fee hike, said he was dismayed because only one member of the Baciwa Board of Directors attended the hearing.
It was Baciwa Board director Dave Villanueva.
Sancho was also “frustrated” that no copy of the Baciwa Board Resolution No. 009 – which directed the fee increase – was provided to them during the hearing.
Baciwa’s maintenance fee originally cost only P2.
Water Watch earlier expressed its strong opposition after Baciwa general manager Juliana Carbon issued a Jan. 16 notice informing the water district’s concessionaires about the fee increase, which was set to take effect starting today.
Councilor Dindo Ramos, who presided the hearing, said he will propose a resolution before the city council requesting Baciwa to postpone the fee hike pending opinion from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
Ramos said LWUA will determine the legality of the fee hike. He added that he has yet to confirm if the fee hike needs LWUA’s approval.
For his part, Villanueva said there was “no problem” regarding the proposed postponement.
Sancho said Baciwa must hold the fee increase as it has not conducted “sufficient” consultation with its over 52,800 concessionaires.
Baciwa did not conduct adequate information drive regarding the fee increase, he added./PN
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