Board of Governors Senator Recto: “It’s time to Strengthen our welcome Local Water Districts” Caraga Region’s Manuel Kong he Senator Ralph Recto T fervently urged his colleagues he PAWD Board of Governors to pass Senate Bill 612, which T (BOG) officially welcomed proposes the removal of the newly-appointed Chairman conditions in the condonation Manuel Kong from the Surigao of tax liabilities of local water Metro Water District (SMWD) districts (LWDs), during his co- of the Caraga Region (Region sponsorship speech for said bill XIII) during the body’s special last January 26, 2015. meeting last January 22, 2015 “Much of the work in bringing clean water at the LWUA, Quezon City. to homes is done by local water districts. “In behalf of the members of the Board They account for one in five water of Governors, I warmly welcome connections in the country today,” Recto Governor Manuel Kong. We look said. forward to working with him to continue championing the welfare of water “So this bill is about the value and the districts,” said PAWD Chairman Romeo viability of 514 local water districts which Garcia. work round-the-clock so that 20 million Filipinos have water to drink.” Mr. Kong, who has replaced now SMWD Director Bernardo Mora, Jr., Recto, who authored the said bill, pipes and modern meters to end leaks, will represent the Northern Mindanao explained that Presidential Decree 198 or and even computers to plug leakages of Natural Resources Management the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973, the monetary kind. (NORMIN-NRMC) for Caraga to the which is regarded as the Charter of LWDs BOG. He will assume and serve the clothed them with a tax-exempt status, However, Recto argued that the case of remaining one year term of Director which covers income taxes, national RA 10026 is disturbing since there was Mora. and local taxes and fees, and duties on no Implementing Rules and Regulations imported machinery and equipment. (IRR) issued at all. However, this tax-exempt status was According to Recto, instead of an IRR, diluted over the years as a slew of laws the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum cancelled it. To add to the confusion, there Circular 68-2012 which merely were laws which restored these privileges prescribes the procedure in submitting or conferred tax breaks again. the documentary requirements and in applying for condonation. “The result is a muddled pool of laws which, like murky water, must be filtered “But how could they (grant the of its inconsistencies.” Recto explained. condonation) when the BIR itself has not issued the necessary Revenue “The Congress finally had the chance to Regulation almost five years after the clear it up by passing Republic Act 10026 law’s enactment?” asked Recto. in 2010.” To their defense, the senator also cited In the said tax exemption law, foregone various LWDs who have used the money taxes will be used to finance improvements, which should have been paid as tax to like new wells and fresh sources, new USAID Be Secure Project Consultant Jay Tecson (Photo Senator Recto: ... continued on page 2 from Mr. Tecson’s Facebook account) 1 IMPORTANT: PAWD backs up Placer WD vs mining company he PAWD leadership expressed its support to the Placer Water ater districts may T District in its appeal to the Department of Environment and now connect with Natural Resources (DENR) for the revocation of Silangan Mindanao theW PAWD Secretariat Mining Incorporated’s (SMMI) permit for failure to comply with the through its email existing laws, rules and regulations under the Water Code of the address, office@ Philippines. pawd.org.ph . All According to General Manager Andro Meanwhile, based on SMMI’s water districts are Michael Bugas, during the Sangguniang pronouncement, they are hesitant to stop encouraged to visit www.pawd.org.ph Bayan Session last January 12, 2015, the operation as the wrapping up of their and fill-in required the management of SMMI admitted exploration project is scheduled only up to information fields before the council that their operation of March 2015. in order to have full Containment Pond No. 3 (EMB Discharge access to PAWD Permit, 2014-WDP-G-1367-217 dated “It seems to us that such pronouncement official website. July 7, 2014) affected the quality of is of an arrogant behavior showing no care water produced by the Cagaasan Spring and sensitivity to the welfare and concern Water Source of Placer Water District. of the people,” GM Bugas said. Also, to receive the latest updates, General GM Bugas said that the waste water During the PAWD Board of Governors Managers are urged to from tunnel dewatering which was being (BOG) special meeting last January 22, text their new mobile numbers to (0917) treated at Containment Pond No. 3 and 2015, the leadership expressed its all out 8032130 or (0922) some of its waste water collectively support for the member-water district. 8497362. seeped through the ground and into the Cagaasan Water Source of the District. “The leadership of the PAWD fully supports Placer Water District’s appeal Said waste water contained high in order to address the contamination of values of chloride, total dissolve solids, their water source that is causing their hardness and turbidity which is not concessionaires to resort to expensive in conformance with the Philippine bottled water instead of using their much National Standards for Drinking Water cheaper water supply” Chairman Romeo (PNSDW). Garcia said. is the official monthly news update “The water quality, specifically the taste, The PAWD BOG, through its resolutions, of the Philippine Association of produced from the Cagaasan Water has already appealed to the DENR and Water Districts, Inc. with editorial Source went from excellent to worse,” also sought the assistance of the Catholic office at the PAWD Office, LWUA Bldg., said GM Bugas, who also reported that Bishop’s Conference of the Phillippines Katipunan Ave., Balara, Quezon City, since November 17, 2014, the District (CBCP). Philippines. Tel. Nos. (+632) 920-5453, Fax has been receiving complaints from (+632) 927-5032, e-mail: [email protected]. ph. the affected concessionaires totaling to 2,062. Senator Recto: ... from page 1 EDITORIAL STAFF “Local water districts say they can help make services better and bigger. solve these problems and the beauty ARTURO G. VILLASAN of it all is that they are not asking us Chairman “The Cagayan de Oro City WD applied P20 to appropriate even a single centavo,” million in tax savings to resuscitate dead Recto said. MA. TERESA C. COMBATIR Managing Editor wells. In the Visayas, the Metro Cebu WD plowed back P67 million in CAPEX for “They can do that and many more KARLO CEASAR C. ABARQUEZ better distribution lines”, Recto reported. if we pass this bill that removes the Reporter conditionalities and instead grants them Senator Recto also appealed that of the outright condonation of their income tax INAH T. ROJAS-ALBUERA many prayers lawmakers receive, this liabilities.” Lay-out Artist is one they should grant because the dividends realized will not end up as private House Bill 3675, which is the ADVISERS profits but better public service. counterpart of SB 612 in the Lower House was approved in July 2014. On ROMEO V. GARCIA In conclusion, the Senator claimed that the the other hand, SB 612 is currently in PABLITO S. PALUCA challenge of providing clean water for all in the plenary after the Committee on the years to come is getting tougher due Ways and Means chaired by Senator to population increase and the presence of Sonny Angara has endorsed it for water-borne diseases. approval. 2 .