Balilihan vice mayor Trisha Chatto echoed the position of her mother, Balilihan mayor Pureza Veloso-Chatto, for fairness in the resolution of water permit-related issue and allow the local government unit (LGU) to just finish its waterworks project and serve the people’s need for water.
This was the statement of the vice mayor in a radio interview over Newsmakers Ug Uban Pa on July 19, 2022 hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado.
“Kining amoang panubig sa Balilihan, several years na namong gi-trabaho. It hasn’t been easy because of the magnitude and how big is the project is kay ang target namo tanang barangay sa amoang lungsod mahatagan na jud ug tubig,” the vice mayor said.
The vice mayor’s reaction comes at the heels of the statement of Mayor Chatto calling for fairness in the settling of the issue of the conditional water permits (CWP) issued by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).
Moreover, Mayor Chatto chided the fact tnat the NWRB cancelled the LGU’s CWP for alleged error in the determination of the diversion point, while Richli Water was issued a show cause order to explain why its CWP should not be cancelled even if the diversion point in its water permit application (WPA) was allegedly wrong.
Vice Mayor Trisha Chatto lamented that there are people who seem to hinder the LGU’s plan to bring water to every barangay of the town.
“Ang amoang hangyo is pasagdi mi muhatag ug serbisyo sa katawhan sa Balilihan. Kun naa moy negosyo, you are free to do so. You are free to offer your water business to the people of Balilihan, but don’t take away the right of the municipality to also offer its services to the people of Balilihan,” the vice mayor said.
She also revealed that the private investor has not given the LGU any solid idea on what its plans are. The investor, the vice mayor added, has yet to provide details on what type of service it intends to provide.
The vice mayor reiterated that even if the NWRB has cancelled the LGU’s CWP, it is not yet final. The LGU is in the process of filing a motion for reconsideration in relation to the cancellation done by the CWP.
Balilihan LGU applied for a water permit as it embarks on a centralized bulk water supply project funded by the national government with a cost of P90 million.