TACLOBAN CITY – A groundbreaking ceremony for the more than P400-million water supply system project seen to solve the water supply woes of the north resettlement sites was held on Friday, January 18, 2019, in Barangay Cabalawan, this city.
Present were former Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, and his son Raymund Romualdez, former Leyte 1st district Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Local Water Utilities (LWUA) Administrator Jeci Lapus, and Presidential Assistant for Special Concerns Undersecretary Wendel Avisado.
Also present were the members of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District Board led by Roberto Muñoz and Barangay Chairman Lito Balangbang.
Lapus assured that the LWUA will earnestly follow up on the immediate completion of the project on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The project is expected to be completed by December 2, 2020, but contractor Mactan Rock and TGV Builders Incorporated assured that by March this year potable water will be made available in initial areas of Tacloban North.
Meantime, in his message following the ceremony, Romualdez acknowledged President Rodrigo Duterte’s support for the project which is a realization of a “dream “to supply potable water to the Yolanda Housing Projects.
“Nagpapasalamat kami kay President Duterte sa proyektong ito at naging katotohanan ang lahat ng ito” the former chief executive said.
A three-term mayor of Tacloban, Romualdez lobbied for the project during his term but the move was unsuccessful because of some underlying issues.
The water system project was given priority when the management of the LMWD was transferred to the city government in 2018.
(HENRY ROCA/CIO)
