Marawi bulk water project will be fast-tracked–Dela Rosa

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SEN. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation, said at the weekend he expected much faster implementation of the bulk water project component of the Marawi City rehabilitation program.

T his developed as the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Philippine Army (PA), two of the implementing agencies of the water project, have broken their impasse, paving the way for the fasttracking of the project.

I just talked with our very supportive General Romeo Brawner, who is here with us…he will be allowing now the final moving on of the project within the Philippine Army camp because that is where our bulk system, our bulk water project is,” Atty. Vicente Homer B. Revil, LWUA’s newly-appointed administrator, reported to the Dela Rosa-led committee at last Wednesday’s hearing.

B rawner, commanding general of the PA, said the water tank will be placed at the highest peak of the army camp in Barangay Kapantaran or the old city hall, which will house a battalion, while the LWUA water treatment facility will be constructed at the lower area of the camp.

It will be recalled that during their similar meeting in September 2022, the panel noted that the bulk water project could not proceed because of some mis- understandings between LWUA and the PA, including the Army’s demand for free water supply to the camp and the lack of an administrator of LWUA.

With the conflict already settled, as well as with the appointment of Revil, there is a need now to have a tripartite agreement between LWUA, PA, and the local water district of Marawi City with a possible lease agreement that gives the army a 25 percent discount.

“ Okay na tayo diyan. Mabilis na iyan. Hindi na tayo makarinig ng problema diyan na sabihin na bumagal dahil ganito, ganoon, ganoon [We’re okay with that. We won’t be hearing any further problem that will delay it],” Dela Rosa said.

I n turn, Brawner informed the committee: “We will now move on with the survey and with the construction. And also, [we will proceed with the] agreement between the Philippine Army, LWUA and the Water District of Marawi City, Your Honors.”

T he General also informed the visiting Senate panel that they are "now awaiting the authority of the Office of the Solicitor General" (OSG) for the expropriation cases since not all the lands to be made part of the camp are expropriated.

Brawner added: “I understand we already have a letter from the OSG giving us that authority, so kahit na hindi pa po nabayaran iyong ibang mga may-ari ng lupa [even if the other land owners have not yet been paid], we can go on already with the construction, Mr. Chairman, Your Honors.”