Irresponsible COWD Board Resolutions

In chronological order, THE FOLLOWING COWD BOARD RESOLUTIONS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLY ISSUED AS APPARENT OBEDIENCE TO THE CAPRICES OF A BULK WATER SUPPLIER ( Rio Verde Water Consortium, Inc. ), to list;

I. BOD Res. No. 222, s-04 dated December 09, 2004

Despite the recommendations of the BWSP Technical Committee declaring Rio Verde as a non-responsive bidder, the COWD Board insisted to award the same.

Board of Directors responsible: Mendez (Chairman), Gapuz (Vice-Chair ),Java, Bass and Borja

II. Signing of BWSP Agreement on December 23, 2004

The contract signing was tricky and expeditious. It was later found out that there were inserted provisions that deviated from the model agreement in favor of Rio Verde. Very unusual and suspicious, Chairman Mendez and Vice-Chair Gapuz were not present during that monumental signing. Only Java and Bass served as witnesses who later made their position letter, dated November 19, 2007, addressed to the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel manifesting irregularities of said proceedings.

III. BOD Res. No. 010, s-05 dated January 14, 2005

Despite AGM Batar’s presentation to the board of the proposed parametric formula by Rio Verde as disadvantageous to COWD and the consuming public, the Board of Directors adopted a constant Base Power Rate of Php 2.68/Kw-h instead of using what will be the actual power rate in 2007. Majority of the board approved said resolution except Atty. Gapuz who abstained.

Board of Directors responsible: Java(Chairman),Bass(Vice-Chair ),Baldelovar, and Sarmiento

IV. BOD Res. No. 171, s-05 dated August 12, 2005

Upon request by Rio Verde, the COWD Board of Directors issued a resolution to change/transfer the location of the Take-off Point from Lumbia Airport to a much lower elevation, a clear advantage to Rio Verde. They instructed COWD’s technical staff to adjust the plans and specifications undermining the technical odds it may result to the district’s future operation.

Board of Directors responsible: Java(Chairman),Bass(Vice-Chair ), Baldelovar , Gapuz and Sarmiento

V. BOD Res. No. 246, s-07 dated August 15, 2007

COWD Board of Directors irresponsibly issued a resolution upon request by the City Mayor Jaraula to waive the rights of the district in favor of Rio Verde to supply the areas of Indahag and Lumbia among others. As opined by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, such policy fell short of establishing consistency with PD 198 or otherwise known as the Water District Law. Brought to the City Council hearings under the Committee on Public Utilities, the COWD Board was persuaded if not compelled to have said resolution repealed.

Board of Directors responsible: Java(Chairman), Baldelovar ( Vice-Chair ),
Bass, Sarmiento & del Rosario

VI. BOD Res. No. 096, s-09 dated October 21, 2009

The COWD Board of Directors requested from LWUA to assign an Interim General Manager pending selection and appointment of a general manager. The basis for such act was questionable and LWUA’s very own guidelines for intervention were not followed accordingly. The resolution discriminately stated that Acting GM Batar is not comfortable working with and has difficulty in complying orders from the Board of Directors. The big question is what are these orders, where are these directed to and who’s the recipient? It seemed clear that the protocol for intervention were violated by the COWD Board of Directors and LWUA itself.

Board of Directors responsible: Baldelovar (Chairman), del Rosario (Vice-Chair )
Bass, Sarmiento, Vegafria & Malicdem








 On November 04, 2009 , the Interim General Manager from LWUA was installed in the person of Engr. Proceso B. Pag-ong, Jr. His initial actions were surprisingly fast and expeditious especially on the issue of the Bulk Water Supply Contract/Agreement, hereto listed;

 November 16, 2009 , IGM Pag-ong requested from LWUA approval of the proposed amendments without considering the factual observations of the COA Fraud Audit Report dated November 09, 2009.

 December 21, 2009, LWUA Acting Administrator Daniel I. Landingin approved the proposed amendments without putting into consideration, again, the findings of the Commission on Audit Report relative to the Bulk Water Supply Contract/ Agreement issue.

 January 12, 2010 , IGM Pag-ong communicated with Rio Verde regarding the approved amendments stating “ we can now take the appropriate steps to formalize the agreements…. “


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With the entry of the Interim General Manager, the difficulty in complying orders from the Board of Directors seemed to be not a problem anymore.

But who’s going to question and verify the propriety of these policies? How do we establish check and balance amongst COWD Board of Directors? It is the employees of the district and the general concessionaires of Cagayan de Oro City who has that right to be watchdogs for graft and corruption.

Please support F.L.O.W. in our quest for transparency and genuine public service delivery.