The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) broke ground on water expansion projects in Barangays Guba and Agsungot on September 2. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A long-awaited solution to the decades-long water crisis in the city’s upland barangays is finally underway.
On Monday, September 2, the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) broke ground on water expansion projects in Barangays Guba and Agsungot. These projects will soon extend to surrounding areas such as Budlaan, Pulangbato, Cambinocot, Binaliw, Pit-os, and Mabini, benefiting over 5,000 households with a reliable water supply.
In April 2013, the MCWD launched the Pit-os-Bacayan-Talamban water supply project, providing potable water to residents of these areas.
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“For the first time in the history nila, pila na sila ka tuig namuyo dira, makakuha na sila’g direct access from MCWD, ang pipes directly to their homes,” said Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia during his message.
The acting mayor attributed the delay in permits to the previous administration under suspended Mayor Michael Rama, who had stalled the project for over a year due to “political disagreements” with MCWD Chairman Joey Daluz.
According to Garcia, when Rama was preventively suspended, he made it a priority to sign the necessary permits upon assuming office.
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The completion of these projects within 200 days will be a game-changer for the upland communities, many of which have relied on springs for their water needs.
Guba Barangay Captain Orlan Herrera, whose area will see 1,800 households benefit, thanked Garcia for fast-tracking the permit process.
“Need gyud kaayo namo ang tubig especially nga wala mi tubod kaayo,” Herrera said.
On the other hand, Daluz, in his message, highlighted that providing water to these mountain barangays was a top priority for him since becoming MCWD chairman in 2020.
He criticized the previous administration for sitting on the permits and delaying the much-needed expansion projects since April 2023.
The political conflict between Rama and Daluz escalated in October 2023 when Rama dismissed Daluz and other members of the MCWD board, appointing new members in their place. Tensions heightened further when the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) intervened, leading to an ongoing power struggle until Rama’s preventive suspension in May of this year. /clorenciana