Cabanlas hits COBI’s decision to cut water supply

MAJORITY Floor Leader Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas, on Wednesday, expressed his dismay and indignation to the Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water, Inc. (COBI) for its decision to cease supplying bulk water to the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD).

The councilor manifested this as the 20th City Council held its special session presided over by City Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, to adopt separate resolutions to ensure the supply and distribution of water in the city.

“It is very unfortunate that we have this kind of people like COBI, so greedy, greed is the reason behind this. Inyo ba’ng nakita nga nag ingon dinhi sa letter nga bayransa COBI ang Rio Verde ang tubig nga dili ma deliver ngadtos katawhan. So, COBI put emphasis and value to their desire to prevent and deprive the people of CDO from getting this basic commodity which is water”, he pointed out.

With this, the City Council passed a resolution requesting the Commission on Audit (COA) to look into the contract between COBI and COWD, and another resolution calling on COBI to explain to the legislative body why they should not be declared as persona non grata for their decision to disconnect water supply service to COWD effective 12:01 AM of May 1, 2024.

The legislative body also a resolution requesting Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) to make an emergency purchase of bulk water supply from the Rio Verde Water Consortium, Inc., South Balibago Resources, Inc., JR Hydro & Bio-Energy Corporation, Mindanao Cooperatives Water Service Federation (MCWSF) and other independent water concessionaires, for the purpose, in view of the decision of the COBI to cease water supply effective May 1, 2024.

The Council also requested the said independent water concessionaires to provide bulk water supply to the COWD.

Another resolution was approved adopting City Mayor Rolando A. Uy’s Executive Order placing Cagayan de Oro City under a state of emergency and granting the mayor special emergency power to address the water supply crisis.