In an unexpected plot twist, National Water Resources Board’s (NWRB) Executive Director Sevillo David wrote to Balilihan mayor Pureza Veloso-Chatto saying that the town’s conditional water permit (CWP) remains valid, after partially complying with the terms and conditions of the said permit, which includes the submission of an environmental compliance certificate.

David provided Mayor Chatto the status of the town’s CWP in a letter dated June 23, 2022 and was received by the mayor only on July 21, 2022.

The NWRB executive said that Balilihan’s CWP remains valid even if there is a resolution dated June 2, 2022 cancelling the town’s permit to draw water from Bugwak Spring for the centralized bulk water project.

Looking at the latest development, considering the dates of the documents, the mayor believes that Balilihan’s CWP remains valid in contrast with the earlier cancellation order of the NWRB.

BACKSTORY

Mayor Chatto said she remained clueless about the real status of Balilihan’s CWP, whether or not it is still valid.

Mayor Chatto in her June 7, 2022 letter to David, asked the NWRB about the status of Balilihan’s CWP, which was the subject of a petition for cancellation filed by Richli Water.

In Sept. 2021, the NWRB denied Richli Water’s petition to cancel Balilihan’s CWP, but the water company filed a motion for reconsideration and asked for an ocular inspection in Dec. 2021. The result of the motion for reconsideration and ocular inspection was released via a resolution dated June 2, 2022 where the NWRB ordered Balilihan’s CWP cancellation.

However, Mayor Chatto received the reply to the June 7, 2022 letter only on June 23, 2022 or 21 days after water resource regulator ordered the cancellation of Balilihan’s CWP.

The latest letter from the NWRB’s David has caused confusion considering that the regulatory body already cancelled the CWP of Balilihan, only to let the mayor know that the CWP remains valid, according to the mayor.

“Kung ang suwat ni [Dir.] Sevillo [David] ang akong basehan, na sustain ang CWP. Pero, ang resolution nila [NWRB] sa among water use conflict [with Richli Water] cancelled ang among CWP, and it [resolution] was dated June 2, 2022. But latest kintahay ang June 23 letter nga gi-sustain ang among CWP,” Mayor Chatto told The Bohol Tribune.

DEVELOPMENT

The Bohol Tribune asked Mayor Chatto in a telephone interview on July 22, 2022 if the local government unit (LGU) will be seeking clarification regarding the real status of the CWP.

She said that the LGU already filed a motion for reconsideration in relation to the cancellation of the town’s CWP dated June 2, 2022.

For this reason, the mayor is opting to wait for the reply of the NWRB on the motion for reconsideration instead and would no longer pursue further clarification on the real status of the CWP, which is now embroiled in controversy and is causing confusion at least to the LGU of Balilihan.

“Actually, nag file na ta ug MR [Motion for Reconsideration] kay nauna man ang atong MR. Na file na nako ang MR, the other day, atong July 20,” she quipped.

THE LATEST LETTER

In the latest letter from the NWRB signed by David and dated June 23, 2022, it was mentioned that based on records the town has “partially complied with the terms and conditions set forth in the said [conditional water] permit.”

David further wrote in the letter: “The issued CWP will remain as such pending compliance with all other terms and conditions imposed therein.”

BACKGROUND

Balilihan’s CWP was ordered cancelled by the NWRB. However, the NWRB allows the town government to file and correct the issues surrounding the earlier CWP.

The CWP of Balilihan was cancelled, basically due to the alleged wrong diversion point indicated in the water permit application filed by the LGU. It was learned that the diversion point of Bugwak Spring is allegedly located in barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla town and not at barangay Sto. Niño, Balilihan.

Mayor Chatto said that in the CWP of Richli Water for Bugwak Spring, the diversion point indicated was also allegedly wrong.

The water company identified the diversion point in its application to be located in barangay Lourdes, Cortes, according to Chatto.