By Gina Dizon
SAGADA, Mountain Province -- A projected P36 million water works for this water-needy tourist town is as murky as it sounds.
For one, the P18 million water funds transmitted to the coffers of the municipal government via a Special Allotment Release Order from the Priority Development Assistance Funds of Sen. Teofisto Guingona 111 early this year has not yet seen implementation barely two months before the year ends.
Issues range from the earlier hesitance of the Tanulong people to give in to the equally hesitant Boasaw waters as a source of the projected waterworks, the signing of “memorandum of understanding” among members of the Tanulong tribe imposing conditions; the arbitrary signing of a resolution purported to be that of a Sangguniang Bayan resolution but which never was and the un-executed MOA of the Sagada local government with the Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management Project 11 (CHARMP 11) for an additional P18 million project assistance.
The hesitance of Tanulong tribe through the months has finally given way with a “memorandum” arrived at among themselves to "impose" the installation of a water meter in every distribution tank and that water fees shall be collected through automatic deduction from the Internal Revenue Allotment of each barangay of Sagada availing of the water.
Water fees were identified to be on a “fair cost or just enough” to pay salaries of four maintenance men.
Said memorandum identified the Tanulong Tribe Irrigators Association to manage the supposed domestic water system.
Madongo barangay captain Joseph Aclopen clarified that water fees shall be just enough to pay salaries for maintenance.
Said MOA also identified a 5-inch opening to be connected from upstream waters of Boasaw with waters leading to the ricefields in barangay Tanulong and excess waters to domestic consumption; that waters shall be directed to a domestic water system when rice fields don’t need irrigation; and that all waters to be diverted to the 5 inch opening going to Tanulong’s irrigation should there be lack of water, with only one hour flow every three days of the week for domestic waters .
Aclopen clarified that a pipe 6 inches in diameter shall be connected upstream Boasaw dam with a 5 inch opening going to Tanulong ricefields and 1 inch for domestic waters. It shall be recalled that an earlier agreement betweenBesao and Tanulong identified a 6 inch diameter pipe to be connected in the Boasaw dam for Tanulong water purposes.
The hesitance of the Tanulong people has been traced with earlier pronouncements that they shall wait for monetary support from their US-based town mate Andrew Bacdayan before the end of October this year before giving in their decision whether to give the Boasaw waters or not. Bacdayan has just formed a US-based Non Government Organization called Cordillera Social Venture Capital Foundation with the establishment of a Tanulong water cooperative as its pet project.
Barely before the end of October however, members of the Tanulong tribe represented by Vincent Bacdayan apparently representing the Bacdayan family; Tanulong barangay captain Manuel Boto-og; president of the Tanulong Irrigators Association John Baguiwet; Madongo Barangay Captain Joseph Aclopen; and local leader Jerry Ticag of Tanulong, however agreed among themselves that the Tanulong Tribe Irrigators Association shall manage a domestic water system planned to be built by the LGU of Sagada with waters sourced from Boasaw. Said MOA was witnessed by four elders of Madongo and Tanulong; 12 kagawad of barangays Tanulong and Madongo; secretaries, treasurers, and SK chairmen of both barangays, and Sagada Mayor Edward Latawan Jr.
While waters flow on, questions are up as to the acceptance of projected water-user barangays on fees directly charged against their IRA as an imposition; and questions are up as to the sole management of the Tanulong Irrigators Association without the inclusion of other water-user barangays as to the domestic water system’s management.
Questions are also up on the continued supply of water considering conditions stipulated in the said Tanulong peoples’ “MOA”, especially during summer time when waters usually get depleted. Though Aclopen said Tanulong rice fields only need water for two months for one cropping season.
Questions are up also as to the desperate measures of an "SB resolution" for signing by members of the Sangguniang Bayan.
It was learned that Mayor Edward Latawan urged individual members of the Sangguniang Bayan to sign said document and the process server of the mayor’s office having brought the resolution to the homes of the councilors to let them sign said document, some councilors said.
Contents of the resolution were not discussed by members of the Sangguniang Body in their regular meetings, Councilor VenancioBaybay said.
Vice Mayor Richard Yodong, SB Secretary IreneusTauli and councilors VenancioBaybay and MoisesPadayao have not signed said resolution. Two other councilors inadvertently signed said document, it was learned.
The questionable SB resolution dated October 25, 2011 states, “Resolution No 148-2011 subsidying authority to the Municipal Mayor Eduardo LatawanJr representing the LGU of Sagada to enter into a MOA with the Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management Project 11 (CHARMP 11) represented by its Project Manager for the implementation of the Tanulong Tribe Irrigators Association Water Service Project in the total amount of P35.825 million and appropriating P17.9 million” for the LGU’s counterpart.
It was clarified from the municipal Budget Officer Jackson Daoas that the identified P17.9 million counterpart of the LGU to be appropriated as stated in the questionable SB resolution referred to the P18 million fund transmitted by Guingona and not any other source of Sagada LGU funds.Some P80,000 drawn from the P18 million fund appropriated by Guingona was used for “survey purposes” of the water source, according to LGU officials.
Nevertheless, with the resolution having no standing and legal basis of it not having been officially deliberated by the SB , officers of CHARMP forwarded a sample MOA to the LGU naming the Municipal Mayor and Regional Director Marilyn Sta Catalina of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as a parties to any project assistance from CHARMP; and the vice mayor, Municipal Planning and Development Officer, Municipal engineer, and the CHARM project manager Cameron Odsey, Rural Infrastructure Development coordinator Sonny Salvacion, and Provincial coordination officer Beverly Pekas as witnesses.
While such is the case, the municipal SB in their special meeting November 2 this year, forwarded the building of barangay reservoirs as strongly recommended during an earlier May 26-27 municipal watershed summit this year . It was learned that excess waters freely flow from private tanks while other households groan of having no water.
Currently, Central Zone with poblacion barangays Patay, Dagdag and Demang have 28 water sources; south central barangay Ambasing has 6 water sources while nearby barangay Balugan has luxuriant water sources; eastern zone with barangays Tetep-an Norte and Sur, Kilong, Antadao have 27 water sources; the southern zone of barangays Suyo, Ankileng, Nacagang, having 21 water sources; and the water-rich northern zone barangays Bangaan, Madongo, Aguid, Tanulong and Fidelisan have 23 water sources.
Boasaw water source is located at the northern zone of Sagada.
The Boasaw Creek is cradled by the watersheds of Ominney, Mengmeng, and Mabullibo located in barangay Aguid. Said waters naturally follow its natural route flowing towards neighboringAbra and diverted to Tanulong in the early 70s. Said water rights has been registered by Bacdayan et al and water rights also claimed to be owned by the Tanulong tribe.
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