Castigated by Cebu City dad, MCWD defends restoration works

Local

THE Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has defended its restoration work after Typhoon Tino, saying its teams operated under “catastrophic” conditions and completed repairs at a pace that international experts consider unusually fast.

In a statement issued Friday, Dec. 12, MCWD responded to criticisms from Cebu City Councilor Harold Go, who earlier described the district’s work as “slow,” “uneven,” and poorly managed amid a lingering water crisis affecting several communities more than a month after the typhoon.

“The Metropolitan Cebu Water District welcomes the concerns raised by Councilor Harold Go and appreciates the City Council’s desire to ensure accountability during this difficult period. However, for the benefit of the public, it is important to clarify the full context and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the restoration efforts after Typhoon Tino,” the agency said.

MCWD said its disaster teams were deployed within hours after Typhoon Tino struck on November 4. Assessments revealed that a 2.6-kilometer stretch of its 800-millimeter transmission line in Jaclupan — the district’s biggest in-house source — had been “completely wiped out” by the Mananga River.

The destruction, MCWD said, was caused by an “unprecedented” surge in the river’s volume and force. Under normal circumstances, repairing such damage would take at least six months.

To avoid prolonged water outages, MCWD said it worked with private supplier Watermatic–Tubig Pilipinas, which had a new pipeline running parallel to the destroyed line.

According to the district, Watermatic allowed MCWD to use its pipeline “at no cost” and undertook the 24/7 interconnection work also free of charge.

The project was technically challenging because Watermatic’s line is made of HDPE and MCWD’s is steel, requiring custom-fabricated fittings that were not available locally.

Despite the complexities, MCWD restored water from the Jaclupan source in three weeks — a timeline it said “would normally take a year or more.”

MCWD also cited Watermatic’s technical assessment, which described the impact of the typhoon on the Mananga River as unprecedented.

Engineers told MCWD, and also briefed Go during his site visits, that the MCWD transmission line had been rendered entirely unusable, making a bypass connection the only viable immediate option.

Watermatic also noted that its bypass design was developed in close coordination with MCWD engineers, who provided round-the-clock support.

The district said all its in-house sources except Jaclupan were restored within days of the typhoon. JE Hydro’s Lusaran plant, however, suffered heavy damage and remained inaccessible for a time, with prolonged power outages further slowing repairs.

MCWD said it continues to coordinate with JE Hydro and other suppliers to speed up full restoration across Metro Cebu.

MCWD said it acknowledges Go’s concern but noted that the councilor personally visited several affected sites and witnessed the difficult terrain, extensive destruction, and continuous work of MCWD teams and contractors.

“Given this, his characterizations of a ‘slow’ or ‘uneven’ response are unexpected,” the district said, adding that it remains unsure what prompted Go’s recent statements but respects his role as an elected official.

Addressing concerns about governance issues, MCWD maintained that basic services have “never been hampered” despite vacancies in its board of directors.

It said operations continue in accordance with Presidential Decree 198 and that filling the vacant seats is being handled within legal procedures.

MCWD said it is pushing ahead with infrastructure improvements next year, including 44 expansion projects covering 43 kilometers of new pipelines worth ₱556 million, and 70 non-revenue water reduction projects, such as pipeline rehabilitation and equipment upgrades, worth ₱242 million.

These investments, it said, reflect its commitment to long-term supply expansion and improved service reliability.

MCWD’s statement came days after Go delivered a privilege speech at the Cebu City Council criticizing the water district for what he called “unacceptable” delays in restoring water service 35 days after Typhoon Tino.

“Tubig ni. Dili ni optional service. Water is a basic necessity and a basic right,” Go said.

He reported that residents in upland and northern barangays continue to rely heavily on water tankers and rationing, with some lining up late at night or under intense heat just to get water.

Go questioned contractor deployment, the absence of clear restoration timelines, and the lack of required 24/7 work in some areas. He also cited governance concerns, saying MCWD’s lack of a functioning board impeded contract approvals and emergency actions.

He has called for an executive session with MCWD, LWUA, private suppliers, and regulatory agencies, as well as a full audit of MCWD’s restoration efforts.

Typhoon Tino caused massive damage to MCWD’s system, including the collapse of the Jaclupan pipeline, breaks at Buhisan Dam, damaged lines along Panganiban Bridge and Colon Street, and flooded wells in Canduman, Liloan, and Opao.(TGP)