In a decisive move, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) has officially dismissed the case against the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Balilihan, which sought to revoke the Conditional Water Permit (CWP) granted for the utilization of Bugwak Spring.
The dismissal came after the petitioners, Ignacio Inguito, Dennis Pastedio, Uldarico Ambojot, and Eladio Baliong, failed to present themselves at the scheduled pre-hearing conference.
The absence, marked by a lack of justifiable cause, led to the NWRB’s resolution to terminate the petition.
Despite the procedural lapse, the NWRB emphasized that the petition lacked substantive merit.
The claim that the LGU Balilihan had submitted erroneous information during the CWP application process for Bugwak Spring was not substantiated with credible evidence.
The board referenced a similar case involving Richli, where it was determined that the erroneous coordinates provided by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) were not a result of intentional misguidance by the LGU Balilihan. This precedent further weakened the petitioners’ stance.
Moreover, the NWRB clarified that the Department of Health’s endorsement is not a prerequisite for the water project in question, dismissing another point of contention raised by the petitioners.
Concluding the matter, the NWRB has given the green light for the LGU Balilihan’s water permit application for Bugwak Spring to proceed, contingent on adherence to the established regulatory requirements.
NWRB said the resolution paves the way for the LGU to advance its water infrastructure project, which promises to enhance the local community’s access to clean and reliable water resources.