Baguio locals demand fair water distribution amid shortage
By Camille Bautista | April 10, 2024
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Residents from various Baguio City barangays have expressed their dismay at the ongoing water shortage in their areas for the past few weeks.
Twenty-seven residents of Barangay Irisan Purok 22 filed a petition on March 27 to the Baguio Water District (BWD) urging them to take action regarding the water shortage that they have been experiencing for more than a month.
“There is no fair distribution, pero pag nagsasalita ‘yung mga iba sabi nila kahit mga dalawang timba raw pagtitiyagaan mo kasi yun daw ang effect ng El Niño. Sana nga kung talagang ganoon, hindi naman eh. Sa tingin ko there is no fair distribution ng tubig,” Lilia Menchu, one of the petitioners, said in an interview on April 9.
Menchu said that BWD cannot continue blaming El Niño for the lack of water supply because she believes that other areas still receive enough water.
She added, “Hindi pa totoo ang sinasabi ng mga empleyado…Sabi nila hindi raw nila kina-cut hanggang sa ala-una, hindi daw, hangga’t daw sa ala-singko. Gumising ako ng 2:16 a.m., in-on ko yung gripo ko, wala.”
Ricardo Martinez, also a petitioner, claimed in an interview on April 9 that the supposed schedule for water supply was inconsistent.
“Itong ika-pitong consecutive na schedule namin, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. ang binigay na schedule sa amin, 8 o’ clock hanggang mag-11 na, walang pressure na dumadating,” Martinez said.
“Hindi nila pinapakinggan, yung problema is supply, yung chine-check na palagi sa amin ‘yung metro. Tulad sa akin, pinalitan ‘yung metro ko, bakit nagbago ba ‘yung supply? Ganoon din naman. Wala namang tubig na nandoon,” said Zeny Chason, another petitioner.
Meanwhile, Bakakeng Central Sto. Niño has been experiencing the same situation. Lennard Fadlen, a resident, said in an interview that they have been waiting for three days already to receive their supposed water supply.
Facebook posts of BWD about water interruption advisories were flooded with complaints from locals in different barangays in the city. BWD is yet to release a statement.
