It is only the Silay City Sangguniang Panlungsod that has not issued a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to the P1.2 million bulk water project of the Negros Occidental provincial government, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday, April 17.
He said the Sanggunians of Bacolod, Talisay, and Victorias cities, and the towns of EB Magalona and Manapla have already issued RONOs for the project.
“The problem is not technical, there are three factions in the Silay SP that cannot agree on whether or not to give the RONO to the province…Water should be above politics, it is a basic need and basic right of every Silaynon and Negrosanon,” he said.
The Silay SP members are saying that the bulk water project will take away water from Silay’s Imbang River, Diaz said.
Diaz said water is not owned by any local government, it is governed by the national government.
The bulk water project will not diminish water used by Silay as it is tapping unsubscribed or unutilized water granted by the National Water Resources Board, he pointed out.
We will not be taking away water already granted to industries in Silay based on their water permits, Diaz said.
The bulk water project will actually provide potable water to residents from Bacolod to Manapla, including Silay City.
This is the cheapest potable water offered to the LGUs in the project’s coverage area, which will address the scarcity of water and the problem of water borne diseases, he said. If the Silay SP officials reject the project they will have to be answerable to their constituents, Diaz said.
The possible site of the bulk water treatment plant will be in Guimbalaon, Silay, or along the Malogo River in EB Magalona, depending on the choice of the investor, he said.
Provincial government representatives will meet the Silay SP again to give them all the answers they want, he said.
Meanwhile, Diaz said Aboitiz Infracapital Inc. has withdrawn as a bidder for the bulk water project.
The 10 Negros Occidental Bulk Water Supply Project proponents remaining are Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc., Balibago Waterworks System Inc., First Balfour Inc., Prime Water Resources Inc., BW Water Inc, Primewater Infrastructure Corp., MacroAsia Properties Development Corporation, Maynilad Water Services Inc., San Miguel Holdings Corp. and M.E. Sicat Construction Inc.
There are some firms that are asking for an adjustment on the deadline for the submission of bids set on June 27, he said.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is still determining whether to accede to the requests or not, he said.
They are hoping that the bulk water project will start during the second term of the governor and be completed by his third term if he is reelected, Diaz said.*