Top officials in this city and Lanao del Sur province are urging implementing agencies to fast-track the completion of the ongoing bulk water system project which is bound to provide potable and safe water supply, especially for residents living soon in the most affected area (MAA) here.
Among all ongoing major projects implemented, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. emphasized that the water project construction which has recently begun its site clearing operation and is located within the military camp of the 553rd Combat Engineering Battalion of the 55th Engineer Brigade was their primary concern.
He bared that an agreement was supposedly entered into by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) administrator, Marawi Water District general manager, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) wherein the latter requested that the contract on the utilization of the target land area be renewable every ten years with the water supply of the military camp provided for free.
Adiong stressed that they opposed this, maintaining that the water supply stored in a two million liters water reservoir would be insufficient for the population of constituents if it would be given to the battalion-sized camp measuring roughly ten hectares.
After their resistance to the original order, he further disclosed that another document was again presented wherein the AFP would be given a 25% discount for their water supply, and there should be no more renewal of the utilization.
However, another condition was accordingly again brought up two weeks ago wherein the same party insisted on the renewal of the utilization for every 25 years, and if there would be compliance at the end of this duration, the Marawi Water District would be requested to remove its structures built within the camp’s premises, to which was deemed unacceptable for Lanao del Sur province.
“Ang problema namin ngayon ay sana ang MOA na napirmahan ay iyon nalang ang ituloy. Wala nang renewal at mayroong 25% discount. As far as Lanao del Sur is concerned, hindi kami papayag na may every 25 years na renewal,” he said.
(Our problem now is hopefully, the MOA which was signed would be pursued. There must no longer be renewal with a 25% discount. As far as Lanao del Sur is concerned, we will not allow that there will be renewal every 25 years.)
Adiong emphasized that all his fellow locals in this city fervently wished to commence their repair or reconstruction of their impacted properties inside which could not be pushed due to the absence of water supply.
With this, he appealed to the members of the ad hoc committee to extend support for the swift completion of the bulk water system project.
“Kung anuman ang hindi pa naidadownload or nasa master plan ng Marawi City, hinihingi namin na maidownload na iyan at maibid. Kailangan maipatayo na iyan. Hinihingi sana namin na by next year ay maiturnover na ang Marawi City sa city government of Marawi,” he said.
(Whatever is not yet downloaded or still in the master plan of Marawi City, we hope that this will be downloaded and bidded. We have to build this. We pray that by next year, Marawi City will be turned over to the city government.)
Adiong admitted that he was not satisfied with the performance of the rehabilitation program enforced here, saying that he found the work slow.
He is nonetheless thankful to the national government for pouring enough money into the budget for the rise of MAA.
Meanwhile, Mayor Majul Gandamra conveyed his support to the call of the provincial governor as he affirmed that displaced residents could not go back to the MAA if the water supply would not also return.
“We would like to ask the kind attention of the administrator of LWUA for them to fast-track this project because ito ang project na hanggang ngayon ay nakabinbin at iyan ay napakaimportanteng pangangailangan (this is the project that until now is still pending, and this is a very important necessity),” he said. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
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