Tuesday, October 07, 2008 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
By Cong B. Corrales
CAGAYAN DE ORO -– Cooperative leaders presented Monday the documents to Mayor Constantino Jaraula to signify that they are serious in taking over the cash-strapped Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD).
The leaders, representing a consortium of millionaire cooperatives, are offering P106.8 million to own and operate the city water district.
The coop consortium spearheaded by First Community Cooperative (Ficco) has also offered to pay P45 million to the Cagayan de Oro City Government to refund the government capitalization in the water district.
Some 300 coop leaders went to City Hall to present the documents to Jaraula, but only 90 of them were accommodated in the reception room in the City Mayor's office.
Jaraula accepted the documents bearing 50,000 signatures from lawyer Proculo Sarmen, chairman of Ficco and his vice chair, Isagani Daba; Corazon Salise, board member of Commission on Audit (COA) Cooperative; Isidro Lico, chair of Regional Cooperative Development Council (RCDC)-Northern Mindanao; Regional Director Orlan Ravanera of the Cooperative Development Authority; and Dr. Anselmo Mercado, chair of CCDC.
Mercado read to Jaraula a manifesto signed by 50,000 members of the City Cooperative Development Council (CCDC) and the RCDC.
"It is our firm collective intent to cooperativize COWD," Mercado told Jaraula.
Mercado said the city water district is bleeding financially due to gross mismanagement, system losses and have become a burden to the city taxpayers.
"The facility is devoid of good governance, accountability and transparency," he said.
Jaraula, for his part, said he is placing the decision to entertain the offer from the coops to the City Council. He promised the coop leaders that he will personally endorse their offer to the City Council.
The mayor also said a public hearing might be held to discuss the offer from the coops.
"My position has been clear on the matter. It is an established fact that I admitted that COWD is the weakest link in my governance," Jaraula said.
Satisfied
Coop leaders were satisfied by the outcome of their meeting with Jaraula.
Mercado said Jaraula took "a cautious and careful stand" on the thorny issue of COWD management.
"It went good and I personally think that the Mayor is one with us as a consumer," he said.
Mercado said they will monitor closely whether the City Council will act immediately on their offer.
"If we see the City Council as dilly-dallying on this matter, we will mobilize our members and rally outside the City Council," Mercado warned.
He said they will also ask their lawyers for legal remedy in case the City Council fails to act on their offer.
"People have been waiting for this. The fire has already been lit," Mercado said.
Ravanera meantime said more coop members are coming forward and have signified to sign the manifesto. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
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