The Silay Sangguniang Panlungsod is not against the P1.2 billion bulk water project of the Negros Occidental provincial government, it just wants clarifications to protect the interest of Silaynons, Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard Ledesma said on Wednesday, May 22.
The Silay SP is the lone council that has not issued a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to the provincial government’s bulk water project.
Ledesma denied that their not granting the RONO is motivated by politics.
They are also waiting for the RONOs of the barangay councils of Hawaiian, Guimbalaon and Kapitan Ramon that will be directly affected by the project, he added.
A Silay SP statement said “we are duty-bound to extend with utmost diligence, all efforts needed to make the most beneficial decisions to protect the welfare of our people and our city, without giving consideration to politics or political influence, when our judgments require the enactment of legislative measures”.
The Silay SP wants clarifications on whether or not the bulk water project will affect the commercial establishments, factories and the agricultural sector in their city that depend on getting water from the river to be tapped by the bulk water project, it said.
They also want to know if the project will affect the existing Vivant Hydropower Plant’s application, whose location is in Barangay Kapitan Ramon, it added.
The proponent of this bulk water project still needs to clarify several questions, which require expert opinions, the SP statement said.
Although the provincial government has held several briefings on the bulk water project, Ledesma said they were not aware of its details.
Ledesma, who is a member of Team Asenso, said he is seeking reelection as vice mayor but no decision has been made yet on whom his running mate will be.*