Consumer group asks LWUA to audit COWD
MANILA, Philippines: The United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) on Monday filed a petition before the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) seeking an audit of the management and performance of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) following complaints from consumers.
UFCC President Rodolfo «RJ» Javellana Jr. cited the need for a «comprehensive audit» amid the challenges faced by consumers in accessing reliable water services.
«We have submitted our appeal to LWUA to subject the Cagayan de Oro Water District to an audit to ensure proper service, because we know that many Cagayanons pay high water bills, but some officials indulge in COWD profit but failed to provide quality services,» Javellana said in a statement.
He added that their petition was also addressed to President Ferdinand «Bongbong» Marcos Jr.
The group said it conducted research to understand the root causes of the problem, particularly in light of the recent water crisis that almost resulted in a citywide water shortage.
Based on the information UFCC gathered, a meeting between COWD and Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI), the city's water supplier, was scheduled for April 30, 2024 to discuss long-standing issues related to the water distributor's debt to COBI.
However, the meeting did not take place because COWD representatives did not show up, including their Board of Directors. Only one member of COWD-BOD was present, which was not enough to form a quorum.
Advertisement«Why didn't the COWD-BOD members show up for a very important meeting where the continued service of clean water flow to their households depends?» UFCC asked.
In light of these developments, Javellana said an investigation should be conducted by LWUA to determine if there was negligence on the part of COWD.
In its manifesto, UFCC cited COWD's «persistently high non-revenue water (NRW) rate, which indicates water lost due to leaks, theft, or inefficiencies.»
In 2021, the distributor's NRW was recorded at 55.39 percent. In 2022, NRW was at 50.05 percent, resulting in significant financial losses amounting to P765.68 million.
Advertisement«The record of the very high NRW of COWD is also contrary to the
