Political payback. That is how the members of the Water System Employees’ Response (WATER), the largest federation of water district workers in the country, see the appointment of former Surigao del Norte (1st District) representative and defeated administration senatorial candidate Prospero Pichay Jr., as the new Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chief.
BY NOEL SALES BARCELONA
Bulatlat.com
Vol. VIII, No. 30, August 31-September 6, 2008
Political payback.
That is how the members of the Water System Employees’ Response (WATER), the largest federation of water district workers in the country, see the appointment of former Surigao del Norte (1st District) representative and defeated administration senatorial candidate Prospero Pichay Jr., as the new Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chief.
LWUA is the main governmental agency which manages more than 600 water districts (WDs) throughout the country. These water districts provide services mostly to the rural areas.
In a statement sent to Bulatlat, Rodrigo Aranjuez, WATER national president and president of Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa DCWD-Davao City Water District (United Workers of Davao City Water District or NAMADACWAD), said that Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has “obviously abused her prerogatives” in appointing heads of various government agencies.
“Pichay’s appointment is obviously is a political accommodation. Clearly, Mrs. (Gloria) Arroyo no longer (recognizes) that qualification matters in appointing agency heads. We believe that Pichay would only contribute to the worsening problems of privatization and corruption that are besetting the LWUA,” said Aranjuez.
He added that workers in WDs, all over the country, fear that, in as much as Pichay was the top spender during the last elections, the funds of the LWUA, mostly grants, aids and loans intended for technical and financial assistance for the water districts, will be used in another unscrupulous way, such as for funding the campaigns of the administration’s candidates in the 2010 presidential elections.
“Arroyo should have heeded the voice of the people that already rejected Pichay and the rest of the Team Unity candidates when they lost in the elections,” he said. “But it is clear that what is more important to her is political payback rather than service to the people,” he furthered.
Aside from the union of the Davao City Water District, WATER members also include San Pablo Water District, Calamba Water District, Cotabato City Water District, Pagsanjan Water District, Metro Kidapawan Water District, Bacolod City Water District, Leyte Metro Water District, Santiago City Water District, La Union Water District, Naga Water District, Pili, Camarines Norte, Surigao, Zamboanga, among others. (Bulatlat.com)
