LWUA intervention in Cebu

AS if the prospect of faucets running dry due to prolonged drought wasn't worrisome enough, customers of the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) are now witnessing a tug-of-war between the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the MCWD. The appointment of MCWD directors has long been politicized by City Hall, with incumbent directors still serving their five-year terms, evicted and replaced when the city has a new mayor. This practice has obviously not helped MCWD improve its services. Both the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel have emphasized that the power of local chief executives is limited to appointing, not removing, directors.

Last Sept. 28, 2023, the LWUA board headed by chairman Ronnie Ong passed a resolution for an intervention in MCWD. This included a suspension of the incumbent MCWD board members. The resolution was never implemented because then LWUA administrator Vicente Homer Revil objected. On Oct. 31, 2023, three of the five MCWD directors were "removed" by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and "replaced" with his men. LWUA did not formally approve these appointments, and the "removed" directors continued to perform their functions as directors and officers.