Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Metro Cebu Water District building (L-R)
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who personally requested to be designated as the city’s water czar, is setting his sights on alleged mismanagement and anomalies within the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD). This has prompted him to formally seek the intervention of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
MCWD, which has long faced criticism over leadership conflicts and operational lapses, is once again under scrutiny as Osmeña raises alarm over what he describes as a “very serious” situation threatening Metro Cebu’s water supply.
“There are so many anomalies that before the end of the year…I don’t have all the facts now, but it’s very alarming. I am not saying I can resolve it either,” Osmeña said in an interview.
Despite earlier efforts to mend relations between the Cebu City Government and MCWD under former mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, the current administration, under Mayor Nestor Archival Sr., appears poised to confront what Osmeña believes are deep-rooted problems within the agency.
“There’s all kinds of anomalies that I hear about,” he said, adding that he has asked LWUA to overhaul MCWD’s Board of Directors and management team.
According to Osmeña, the alleged mismanagement has already led to serious consequences, including the delayed payment to a water supplier in Cordova. This, he said, resulted in a power disconnection and water supply interruption in Lapu-Lapu City.
Although the issue has since been resolved, Osmeña said it was only a symptom of broader problems, citing overpriced water and non-revenue water as additional concerns.
He said the city is working to retrieve documents that would support their findings, and that based on initial assessments, there are already indications of corruption within MCWD.
Currently, Osmeña said his team is waiting for the “right time” to delve deeper into the agency’s operations.
“It [has] gone out of control,” he said.
Osmeña admitted he took on the role of water czar to relieve Mayor Archival of additional responsibilities and take a hands-on approach in the probe. He also confirmed that they bypassed MCWD entirely and went straight to LWUA.
“MCWD is useless. We are going directly to LWUA because MCWD is not performing,” he said.
“It’s pointless asking MCWD what can we do for you. There is no transparency,” he added.
While awaiting LWUA’s response, Osmeña emphasized the urgency of addressing what he called a water crisis.
“But now it is reaching a point that it may just collapse,” he warned. “It may lead the city government to implement severe steps.”
Asked what his concerns are based on, Osmeña cited his years of public service and said the issues at MCWD have long been evident, particularly during periods of internal leadership conflicts.
To him, the stakes are high. “Should this concern remain unresolved,” he said, “it could lead to a worsening condition of the city’s water supply.”
Osmeña vowed to do everything he can—including putting his name at stake—to help resolve the issue, while also exploring new water sources and attracting potential investors.
It may be recalled that MCWD was previously embroiled in a leadership dispute during the term of former mayor Michael Rama. Rama’s removal of then-chairman Joey Daluz III prompted LWUA’s intervention and the formation of two rival Boards of Directors.
The dispute led to bureaucratic delays, including allegations of unsigned permits for excavation projects, which further affected water services.
In a statement, however, MCWD assured the public that there is “no looming water shutdown, no financial collapse, and no basis for alarm.”
The agency said water supply across Metro Cebu remains stable and that MCWD continues to operate under normal conditions.
“Regarding the recent service interruption experienced in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova, MCWD clarifies that this was an isolated incident caused by a power supply issue involving Mactan Rock Industries, Inc., one of our bulk water suppliers, and its power provider, Mactan Electric Company,” MCWD said.
The agency added that the matter is internal between two private entities, and MCWD is not in a position to comment on the specifics.
Nevertheless, it said it has coordinated closely with Mactan Rock to address the situation and ensure the immediate restoration of water service to affected areas.
MCWD also assured that it is pursuing system improvements—including pipeline expansion, pressure management, and the development of additional water sources—to ensure continued service across its coverage areas.
It reported that from 2020 to 2025, water production has increased by 89,142 cubic meters per day, raising total output from 234,816 to 323,958 cubic meters per day.
MCWD also committed to increasing daily water production by another 70,000 cubic meters over the next three years, bringing total capacity to approximately 400,000 cubic meters per day.
| Written by Iris Hazel Mascardo
