The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has finally intervened in the management of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD).

LWUA officials met with Mayor Rolando Uy on May 29, 2024 to discuss the implementation of the LWUA resolution for the full intervention in COWD before going to the COWD to meet with its officials.

In a letter addressed to COWD, LWUA said the full intervention will last for six months. LWUA has installed an interim board of directors and interim general manager for this period.

The interim general manager and interim board of directors took their oath before Uy on May 30, 2024.

The interim general manager, Fermin Jarales, said they are only following legal orders.

“Ang polisiya nga gusto nato is to return back to normalcy para sa water district unya gusto nga we will be known ug mahibal-an sa taga Cagayan de oro nga we will just be implementing lawful orders,” Jarales said.

NOT ACKNOWLEDGING  

However, the existing COWD officials do not acknowledge the LWUA intervention.

“We do not recognize ang we do not acknowledge any intervention or any takeover because the fact is very clear that we have not committed any violations as prescribed by PD 198 and its IRR,” Dr. Gerry Caño, member of the board of directors of COWD, said.

“I will follow the existing board kay basin ma charge ako ug dereliction of duty, abandonment,” COWD General Manager, Engineer Antonio Young, said.

Operations at the COWD office continue.

The intervention came after LWUA’s Board of Trustees approved the full intervention in COWD a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the agency to solve the water supply problem that stemmed from the contractual dispute between COWD and bulk water supplier Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI) on May 17, 2024.