Deng Pangilinan, water district chairman of the committee on special projects, stressed, however, that this does not mean MWCD, a public utility, would be privatized.
This, as MCWD general manager Francis Dimaliwat manifested his opposition to the proposed joint venture during the hearing at the sangguniang panlungsod session hall last March 6.
Reacting to Dimaliwat’s objection, Pangilinan said “we respect his legal opinion but he has no legal basis. Joint venture is totally different from privatization which entails dissolving MCWD and this would be illegal. We have to look after welfare of our constituents five to 25 years from now.”
“With the rapid development in Clark and the premierization of the Clark Airport, Mabalacat City is seen to double its population along with the demand for water 10 years from now,” he noted.
Pangilinan said “under the joint venture, a feasibility on expansion, rehabilitation, improvement, bulk water supply and septage management system will be conducted by the proponents under the names of Prime Water, Manila Waters and Pamana Holdings.”
“MCWD, a local water utility operating through its income, sees the future partnership as a secured opportunity to upgrade its facilities thus provide sufficient and quality water services to Mabalaqueños,” Pangilinan noted.
“If the result is beneficial to our concessionaires, we will push through with the said venture. This will not affect the security of tenure of the existing employees of MCWD for they are protected by the regulations of the Civil Service Commission. Sinisuguro namin sa board na wala sa aming mga empleyado ang matatanggal sa trabaho kasama ng kanilang mga benepisyo na kasalukuyan nilang tinatanggap. Wala pong katotohanan na sila ay mawawalan ng trabaho,” he added.
Under Presidential Decree No. 198, water districts are autonomous government agencies independent of local governments.
