The Metro Dumaguete Water, a Joint Venture company between the Dumaguete City Water District and Metro Pacific Water Investments Corporation, has assured the Dumaguete City Council of its competence and technical expertise in solving the water problems of the City.

MDW Chief Operating Officer David Berba made the assurance before the Council’s 3rd Regular Session last Tuesday upon the invitation initiated by Councilor Antonio “TonyRems” Remollo. Berba briefed the council of the nature of the Joint Venture Agreement.

JVAs are allowed between government entities and private companies for the purpose of achieving a specific goal under the 2013 Revised NEDA JV guidelines Under the JVA signed last September 2019, DCWD assigned its rights as the franchise holder to allow MPW to rehabilitate and operate the water system in Dumaguete for a period of 25 years in the wake of a decreasing water supply that started to be felt in 2018.

The JVA provides that MDW, as operator of the water system, is 80 percent owned by Metro Pacific Water while DCWD, which regulates MDW operations, owns the remaining 20 percent. This formula was achieved after lengthy negotiations between the two parties.

Berba, however, could not give specific figures, citing a Non-Disclosure Agreement between the two agencies.   Berba told reporters after the Council session that he was prepared to answer all the questions that the councilors may have regarding their operations, but the Councilors were apparently more concerned with how the decision was made to enter into the JVA.

DCWD General Manager Eric Diaz declined the invitation to appear before the Council. In a letter, Diaz said he has limited knowledge on the matter as the JVA was forged by the former Management and Board of the DCWD and suggested that the Council invite them, instead.

Berba told reporters after their appearance that MDW was were able to assure the council that MDW has the capability and expertise to address the water shortage in the next two to three years. “We were also able to clarify  impressions of some councilors about the relationship between MDW and DCWD, whereby DCWD remains the owner of all the assets of the water system in Dumaguete and whatever assets MDW will be procuring, such as our new water wells, will be turned over to DCWD after the 25-year partnership.”