• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The bidding for the proposed P1.2-billion Negros Occidental Bulk Water Supply Project will proceed on June 27 even without the resolution of no objection (RONO) from the Silay City government, said lawyer Jessa Genteroles, the province’s focal person for public-private partnership projects.
“It is legally viable to proceed without the RONO of Silay,” she said on Friday (June 21).
The local government units of Manapla, E.B. Magalona, Victorias City, Talisay City and highly-urbanized Bacolod City have already issued RONOs to the bulk water supply project, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said.
Sharing the stand of Silaynons, Mayor Joedith Gallego said that they are not in favor of the move of the provincial government to tap the surface water of Imbang River, claiming that it will affect their water source.
Genteroles clarified that Silay City will not experience water shortage when the bulk water supply project pushes through.
“They have enough water because we were able to get a certificate of water availability from the NWRB (National Water Resources Board),” she said. “This is the first thing we secured, before we proceed with it, identifying whether the project is viable or not”.
Based on the certificate of water availability issued by the NWRB, about 100 million liters per day (MLD) will be sourced from the Malogo River, and 34 to 36 MLD will also be generated from the Imbang River.
Malogo River is situated at the boundary of Barangay Canlusong in E.B. Magalona and Barangay Kapitan Ramon in Silay City while Imbang River runs through Barangay Guimbalaon in Silay City.
Genteroles said the bulk water supply project will only need 34.5 MLD, adding that they sought RONO from Silay since they want the project “to be smooth as it goes along the process of development”.
“For Malogo River alone, we have enough water. Even without the issuance of RONO, Silay can still avail of water supply from the project,” she added.
Genteroles recalled that the Silay City Water District even entered into a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government to avail of water supply.
She added that having the certificate of water availability from NWRB “assures us, that Silay has, in fact, enough water supply for the project, without compromising the other needs of residents of Silay such as irrigation, even households.”
Meanwhile, Gallego suggested that water to be tapped from Malogo River should be at the lower portion of National Irrigation Administration dam in Barangay E. Lopez.
Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard Ledesma said on Friday that a committee hearing will be held during the City Council session this coming Monday to tackle the provincial government’s bulk water supply project. | GB
