Treñas pissed off with CENRO chief
City Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday expressed his disappointment on the halfhearted attitude of City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) head Engr. Noel Hechanova over the city’s request for a cloud seeding operation and declaring the city under the imminent danger of a calamity.
In yesterday’s interview with the media, Treñas said he is already “pissed off” with Hechanova’s approach on the two pressing issues concerning the city and its residents.
The city could not give the media an update on the city’s request for cloud seeding operation at the Maasin watershed and same time the pending request of the Iloilo City Disaster Coordinating Council (ICDCC) after Hechanova failed to give updates on the two issues.
The regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that some P2.8 million is already available for cloud seeding operations in the different parts of the region. The local government unit should make a request for a cloud seeding operation if they need it. The city has no counterpart when asking for a cloud seeding operation.
Treñas said his secretary has been calling Hechanova since Tuesday but the latter could not be reached. Hechanova’s cellular phone is turned off. However, before the end of the interview, the mayor’s office was able to contact Hechanova.
Hechanova has been attending a meeting at the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) for several days. Apparently irritated, the mayor told Hechanova over the phone to leave the meeting and report to his office.
Treñas said Hechanova could transfer to the MIWD if he wants since he is showing more attention to the MIWD initiated meeting rather than solving the issues in the city.
The mayor explained that Hechanova’s report and recommendation on the present state of water problem and cloud seeding operation is vital. The request for cloud seeding is important in the watershed area to alleviate the current water rationing problem here.
On the request for a declaration of imminent danger of a calamity, Treñas said it depends on the city council whether to approve or deny the request. He hopes the councilors “will come to their senses” in deliberating the request.
The approval of the legislative body will authorize the mayor to spend five percent of the calamity fund for the procurement of different water tanks, drilling of deep wells among others.
The mayor added the city council could place a ceiling cap on how much is allowed to be spent if his detractors see the need to regulate the spending capacity of the chief executive on the proposed mitigating measures.
