Pro-Consumers Denounces Plan to Resurrect the Bulk Water Supply Project

After months of steadfast struggle by the Metro-Baguio PRO-CONSUMERS against the Bulk Water Supply Project (BWSP), the Baguio Water District (BWD) Board in recognition of many unresolved economic, social, environmental, technical and legal issues passed Resolution 20-2005 on May 13, 2005 to defer the issuance of the project's Notice of Award to Benguet Corporation.

We spelled victory then, but only a momentary one, for we know that the forces pushing for the project, in their greed for profits, will not stop at just anything to pursue their interest. So that, even as we are now in the midst of the political crises rocking our nation and our city, it is not surprising to hear that Benguet Corporation is once again renewing efforts with the BWD Board to force the awarding of the BWSP to them.

Information reached the PRO-CONSUMERS that the BWD Board of Directors are now contemplating to award the project to Benguet Corporation (BC). The source also said that people who are identified with BC were at Atty. Antonio Espiritu's office before the BWD Board meeting last week. Atty. Espiritu is the current chairman of the BWD Board of Directors.

We denounce the BWD Board's plan to resurrect the bulk water project for reasons we have relentlessly forwarded. Until now, questions of quality and affordability of water, endorsement of source community, privatization, irregularities in the bidding and preparedness of BWD's system remain unsettled.

The resolution deferring the issuance of the Notice of Award stated that the issues hounding this controversial project should be resolved with finality. The Board should be reminded of this condition they themselves set. After all, if the BWD Directors are really convinced that BC failed to fulfill the requirements, they should have declared a failure of bidding and not a conditional deferment.

We challenge the BWD Board to finally put an end to this controversial project. The bidding should be closed through a declaration of a failure of bidding and we demand no less than this.

Amid this alarming situation, we call on the Metro-Baguio citizenry once again, to stand guard. We, as consumers, are the real owners of the Baguio Water District whose mandate of providing adequate, affordable and potable water, serves as its moral imperative. To proceed with the project's awarding violates our universal right to water and it should be condemned.

No to bulk water project!
No to Baguio Water District-Benguet Corporation deal!

REFERENCES:

Chie Galvez - PRO-CONSUMERS Convenor, contact # (63) (74) 442-2115, (63) (74) 304-4239
Jeannete Ribaya-Cawiding - PRO-CONSUMERS Convenor, contact # (63) (74) 300-3489