“Radiating positivity, creating connectivity” CEBU BUSINESS Room 310-A, 3rd floor WDC Bldg. Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City You may visit Cebu Business Week WEEK Facebook page. January 4 - 10, 2021 Volume 3, Series 68 www.cebubusinessweek.com 12 PAGES P15.00 LOW-COST WATER FOR MCWD SOON Danao-Liloan politics delaying process; Durano hopeful injection to begin in 2021 THE Danao City Bulk District for seven terms and By: ELIAS O. BAQUERO tween MCWD and Danao City cil but was overridden by the Water will soon supply water placed several persons in high LGU is for the latter to supply Sanggunian. to Metropolitan Cebu Water government during the time supply is surface water that bulk water at 10,000 cubic He said that out of ten District (MCWD) at P20 per of then President Ferdinand comes from Tahong River. meters per day. However, this municipal councilors, the op- cubic meter despite the at- E. Marcos. Since Amon’s Hence, it needs a treatment was revised because Durano posing councilors were sev- tempts by some politicians to mayorship, the water rate plant in Barangay Guinacot. do not want a repeat of what en which was composed of block it. was P5 per cubic meter until The city’s water treatment happened in Carmen, Cebu. two-thirds of the sangunian, At present, Danao City at present. plant is now functioning. The bulk water in Luyang hence, they can override the Water System owned by the With the refusal of Liloan Durano said their water River in Carmen town was mayor’s veto. Danao City Local Govern- to let Danao water pass, the production is 10,000 cubic supplied to MCWD at 20,000 In public hearings, the ment Unit (LGU) is selling MCWD Board and Manage- meters per day. They allo- cubic meters a day. This left people expressed opposition water to its constituents at P5 ment and Danao City Govern- cated 3,000 to 5,000 cubic the people in the municipality to using the bulk water of per cubic meter for the first ment have decided to deliver meters per day to Danao City lacking with water. Luyang to supply to MCWD. 10 cubic meters, the cheapest the bulk water at its injection consumers and the excess will That is the reason why the The Cebu Province, Maynilad water rate in the country. pump in Compostela, Cebu. be supplied to MCWD. Carmen Municipal Council and Manila Water did not pay The same water rate was Durano said that in the He said the timetable to refused to pass a resolution to for it to the Municipality of started during the mayorship meantime, they are priori- start supplying bulk water supply bulk water to MCWD Carmen. of the undisputed political tizing the water distribution to MCWD is within the first through a joint venture with “So, I decided to supply kingpin, Ramon “Amon” Du- in Danao City so the constit- quarter of 2021. They have al- Cebu Provincial Government first the water needs of the rano Sr. who died in October uents will benefit their water ready laid down the appropri- and Maynilad Water and Ma- people of Danao City before 1988 while he was the incum- first before selling the excess ate water pipes up to MCWD’s nila Water. The Carmen may- selling the excess water to bent chief executive. to MCWD. Compostela injection pump. or vetoed the opposition of MCWD,” Durano said. Danao City Mayor Ramon He explained that the bulk At first, the contract be- the Carmen Municipal Coun- At first, Durano planned “Nito” Durano III told Cebu to privatize Danao City Water Business Week that the LGU System but he realized that of Liloan, Cebu refused to let the private investor would them pass through the mu- increase the water rate as he nicipality towards the MCWD will improve and rehabilitate injection point in that area. the water distribution lines. Liloan leaders, Mayor Durano said they will Cristina Garcia-Frasco and construct another dam above her husband, Rep. Duke Fra- the river to increase the wa- sco are daughter and son-in- ter supply of another 10,000 law of Governor Gwendolyn cubic meters per day. Tahong Garcia. They are the political is the biggest river in Danao opponents of the Duranos. City. Ramon Durano, on the Water in Barangays Po- other hand, is the father of blacion, Sabang and Maslog Ramonito. Popularly known is now supplied by bulk as ‘Amon,’ Ramon had been INTERVIEW. DANAO CITY MAYOR RAMON “NITO” DURANO III, WITH CEBU BUSINESS WEEK’S water of Danao City Water a congressman of Cebu’s 5th EMMANUEL “ANOL” MONGAYA AND ELIAS O. BAQUERO. System. 2 January 4 - 10, 2021 Cebu Business Week LOCAL DOTr, Consolacion to start work on port in 1st quarter THE Department of the project site, bringing with In response, the DOTr Transportation (DOTr) and them their equipment,” Ale- drafted a memorandum of the Local Government Unit gado said. agreement (MOA) that DOTr (LGU) of Consolacion, Cebu She said that being the will download the fund for the are working closely so the host municipality, they readi- road-right-of-way for the Con- construction of Cebu In- ly helped the DOTr officials in solacion LGU to implement. ternational Container Port implementing COCP. “We will start negotiat- (CICP) will start in the first “The National Govern- ing for the road-right-of-way quarter of 2021. ment and DOTr officials are once the money will already The Korean Government happy with our cooperation be downloaded to the LGU, al- has approved the P10 billion and readiness to help them in though we will use the guide- loan for the Philippine Gov- implementing the project. In lines of DPWH (Department ernment two years ago when fact, the DOTr also requested of Public Works and High- President Rodrigo Duter- REPURPOSE. ONCE THE KOREAN FUNDED NEW CEBU INTERNA- us to help then in the acqui- ways),” Alegado said. te was in a state visit in that TIONAL CONTAINER PORT IS FINISHED IN CONSOLACION, THE sition of road-right-of-way,” Although it is a DOTr proj- country. CEBU INTERNATIONAL PORT IN CEBU CITY WILL BE REPUR- Alegado said. ect, the end-user is the Cebu However, the project POSED INTO A DOMESTIC PORT. The Municipal Council Port Authority (CPA) which is cannot be implemented yet passed a resolution inform- presently operating the Cebu due to maneuvering by some The Department of Finance part fund is for the payment ing DOTr that Consolacion International Port (CIP). politicians and vested inter- (DOF) immediately released to Korean consultants for the is ready to assist, in any Earlier, the late CPA Gen- est group. it through the intercession of container port project. way, on how they can fast- eral Manager Angelo Verdan Late last year, DOTr Consolacion Vice Mayor Tere- “The thing is already go- track the realization of the said that once the CICP will asked the help of Consolacion sa “Nene” Pepito Alegado and ing through. The Korean con- project. The resolution was be operational, the CIP will be LGU in releasing the Philip- her son, Consolacion Mayor sultants (for the project) have brought to the DOTr in Ma- converted into a cruise ship pine counter-part fund in the Joaness “Joyjoy” Alegado. arrived so with the Filipino nila through Project Engi- port and a business district. amount of US$43 million. Alegado said the counter- implementor who will inspect neer Nonoy dela Cruz. ELIAS O. BAQUERO Cebu lost decisive leader in Salimbangon CEBU City Vice Mayor served the House of Represen- ple in Bantayan Island is the to DYRC and Cebu Business make a feasibility study for an Michael “Mike” Rama said tatives for four straight terms “submarine cable” line that Week, saying that it has been airport in the area. that Cebu has lost an ener- (12 years) from 2007 to 2019. will bring power from Main- covered by a resolution from Rama said that he is close getic, innovative, and decisive He was replaced by his wife, land Cebu to the island. the Medellin Municipal Coun- to Benhur and the Salimban- leader with the death of for- Janice Zamora Salimbangon In the middle of 2020, cil. gon family and the family of mer Congressman Benhur L. from July 1, 2019 to the pres- he called up DYRC radio and Salimbangon also told Benhur’s sister, businesswom- Salimbangon. ent. Cebu Business Week and said Cebu Business Week that he an Mariquita Salimbangon Salimbangon died last De- Daanbantayan, Cebu that the 500 hectares of land and Rep. Janice has requested Yeung. cember 24, 2020 after a long Mayor Sun Shimura said that in Medellin allocated for eco- the Department of Transpor- “He (Benhur) was my big battle against cancer. He was Salimbangon was able to wid- nomic zone has already been tation (DOTr) for an alloca- brother since I was a Cebu buried at his family-owned en and concrete all the roads approved in principle by Pres- tion of P200 million for the City councilor and he ran for cemetery in Lapu-Lapu City in mainland 4th District, ident Rodrigo Duterte and construction of a big airport Cebu board member in the 4th after being brought to Cebu’s concreted the bridges, and Philippine Export Zone Ad- (2-kilometer in length and District. He was the author of 4th District especially in his expanded and concreted the ministration (PEZA) Director 60-meter in width) to comple- Cebu Provincial Ordinance hometown of Medellin. road leading to Maya Port. Geneal Charito Plaza. ment the economic zone.