Baciwa’s future

By Modesto P. Sa-onoy

It is now almost certain the Bacolod City Water District will enter a joint venture with Prime Water. This has been anticipated from the start because of the clear actuations of the decision makers of Baciwa to get into this union that is fraught with uncertainties that only the negotiators can explain. The issue is that the Baciwa negotiators are unwilling to reveal the details of the union.

The only consolation, if we can call it, is the trust of the people of Bacolod that these Baciwa officials are epitomes of integrity and therefore they have nothing to worry about. The future of the water district and the welfare of the consumers hinge on this possibility. If the deal turns sour, then the people of Bacolod will just have to suffer because they neglected to be vigilant on matters that concern them most – the water lifeline.

From the beginning, the officials of Baciwa had kept the details of the deal a secret. That’s the rub. Publisher Joseph Pultizer hit the mark when he said, “There is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy.” Baciwa’s negotiators and decision-makers might be on the right track but their persistent refusal to reveal the minutiae of the joint venture raised issues that no matter what these officials will do thereafter will always raise doubts in the public mind.

Let us grant sincerity and concern for the wellbeing of the water district and the concessionaires. But so long there remains unanswered questions, so long will the question of integrity persist.

Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa, Jr., is the only city official that has gone into the forefront of opposition to the deal. But while we can give him the benefit of doing this for the common good, there is also the element of opportunism because he is the sole opposition to the city’s political party. All the members of the Grupo Progreso have kept silent on the future of Baciwa as if everything on the table is for the common good. The party in power is so entrenched that its members need not question anything that the party leadership supports.

There is however Councilor Archie Baribar who wanted to determine what the consequences of this joint venture will be on the ordinary concessionaires because he said, “for a very long time Baciwa has not addressed this issue squarely.” Indeed, Baciwa had been answering the queries obliquely that instead of clarifying the water district leadership obscured and created more doubts and thus make people think that something is not right, and their future is compromised.

For instance, we learned from the opposition inside Baciwa that there will a rate increase. The negotiators with Prime Water did not refute this allegation – they kept silent and that, to the most common understanding is admission.

The possibility of higher rates cannot be discounted, in fact, it can be anticipated when a new partner enters the picture because there will additional personnel and more activities. The question is: how will the consumers be protected considering that the partner is a private entity with profit in mind? Prime Water deserves returns for its investments (if it has) but what are the parameters and consumer protective provisions?

While Baciwa remains as the owners, the entire operations will be left to Prime Water. The question that needed answer is: Can Baciwa intervene in behalf of its concessionaires and if so, to what extent? Where will the concessionaires find relief? Does the City Council have any rights?

We find something funny here. If the Prime Water manages everything for Baciwa, what is the purpose of having a Board of Directors that receives per diems every meeting? Will they convene at all? Or merely receive compensation for doing nothing? This seem to be nice and cozy deal. No wonder the board members as well as the incumbent management are pushing the deal – get a lot of money for doing nothing.

Baciwa says it will remain in control. Of what? Will Prime Water be just like employees?

Here’s a catch. Baciwa says it will be able to serve up to 95% of Bacolod’s total population “at the end of the 25-year contract with Prime Water.”

What if not? Who gets axed?