Drilon to push for Senate inquiry on MIWD
Comebacking Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon will push for a Senate inquiry of the controversies hounding the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) which caused a rift between its Board of Directors and management.
Drilon, in a radio interview recently, said he is going to examine the documents of MIWD including their proposed budget for this year.
“We will help assist in solving the problems of the water district which existed for such a long time,” Drilon said.
Drilon said he has received reports that some employees of the MIWD are reportedly engaged in water delivery business which is in conflict with the interest and functions of the water district.
This could also be the reason why the recent MIWD performance record showed that only 20 percent of the city population has access to the pipe-in water service while the rest of the population has no water supply, he said.
MIWD sources its water from the Tigum River in Maasin, Iloilo.
The water district is currently serving the water needs of more than 700,000 population in service areas which include Iloilo City, which is the main bulk of its concessionaires, and the municipalities of Maasin, Cabatuan, Sta Barbara, Pavia, San Miquel, Oton and Leganes.
Drilon added that he would like to help the city and the rest of the province by providing long-term solutions to the water problem especially during this El Niño phenomenon.
Among the solutions seen are the revival of the Jalaur River Development Project by tapping the waters of Jalaur River into irrigation and potable drinking water and converting into a 10 megawatt power plant to serve to power needs of nearby municipalities.
Drilon also said he can readily find investors or push the national government to fund the multi-billon project in Iloilo.
Aside of the Senate, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is also planning to conduct an inquiry regarding the real situation on water distribution in the metropolis.
Incoming city mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog confirmed that he will be requesting the new SP Committee on Public Utilities to conduct the investigation or hearing of complaints on acute water shortage and poor public service of MIWD including the performance of its management and personnel and members of the Board of Directors.
