Fiery debate at City Council seen
Rational and irrational arguments are expected to be raised by councilors in this Wednesday’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panglungsod on the proposal placing Iloilo City under the state of imminent danger of a calamity.
This after some of the punong barangays identified by the Iloilo City Disaster Coordinating Council (IDCC) denied they are experiencing water shortage problem. The same barangays are also included in the list of areas of the water rationing implemented by the Metro Iloilo Water District.
In last week’s consultative meeting initiated by Councilor Jeffrey Ganzon, chair of the committee on social services and disaster relief, there are barangay captains who denied the IDCC’s report indicating the lack of enough water.
They questioned the veracity of the report and proposal rendered by IDCC head Engr. Jose Papa to the legislative body saying the latter have not even visited their barangay before classifying them in the list of some 40 city barangays with problems on water supply.
Like Ganzon, the same barangay officials are known allies of Raul Gonzalez Sr. and incumbent Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr. If the council approves such request, it will give Mayor Jerry Treñas an authority to spend P4.5 million calamity fund.
The approval of the proposal was deferred twice by the legislative body, thus giving Ganzon adequate time in coming up with his recommendation being the chair of the committee on social services and disaster relief.
In a radio interview, Reyland Hervias, ABC president of Molo said the four barangays identified by IDCC as areas with water problems. The four barangays are Infante, San Juan, Boulevard and Calumpang.
Hervias, who is also a staunch ally of the Gonzalezes said the four identified barangays are not dependent on the water supply provided by the MIWD. They have deep wells.
They have enough water and they do not experience water problems contrary to the report of Engr. Papa. They have water wells that do not run out of water, said Hervias.
The “observation” on some barangays with water problems is different from the “reality,” said Hervias.
If the council approves the request declaring the city under the state of calamity, Treñas will procure water storage tanks for city’s different barangays. The water to be filled in the storage tanks will come from the water treatment plant donated by the Spanish government to the city during Typhoon Frank.
