The members of the Board of Directors of the Bacolod City Water District unanimously approved a resolution installing an interim general manager appointed by the Local Water Utilities Administration to Baciwa at regular board meeting yesterday.

Mario Macatangay, who was designated as IGM by LWUA of Baciwa for a year, met with its personnel yesterday afternoon.

Macatangay is the acting manager for Water District Development Division of LWUA for Area 3 covering the Southern Tagalog Region.

Director Marichi Ramos said yesterday that LWUA Administrator Andres Ibarra had requested for the withdrawal of the case filed for the nullification of the appointment of the sixth member of the board when they requested for an IGM in Baciwa.

Ramos said they acceded to Ibarra's request to withdraw their injunction for the nullification of the appointment of Alfredo Bayanin, but not until the duties of suspended general manager Juliana Carbon are defined and the IGM is properly installed.

She, and Directors Lawrence Villanueva and Lorendo Dilag will still confer with their lawyers Roger Reyes and Leo Irving Sedonio on the next step after they have withdrawn their case against Bayanin, she said.

Meanwhile, Macatangay said Carbon will remain as general manager of Baciwa, but he will take over the management and operations of the system.

He said he will give Carbon assignments and will still evaluate what other assignments to provide her.

He also said he wants to be part of the solution and not part of the problem in the water district and that he has nothing but good intentions in coming to BACIWA.

He said he will have to assess the situation on the ground and ensure that the operation of the water district will not be hampered.

The bottom line is to ensure that basic service of water supply will not be compromised, as Ibarra has instructed.

Asked about the possibility of a LWUA takeover, he said that will require a top management decision.

Macatangay said his functions include the overall management of Baciwa and his designation as IGM is for one year unless sooner revoked.

He said he had also been IGM in Infanta, Quezon for three years until they were able to return the functions to the local GM.

Bayanin said the board meeting yesterday was for the installation of the IGM and to identify his responsibilities and functions. They will also assess what they can do to improve their services, particularly their water sources.

One of the conditions for the appointment of the IGM is the recognition of the sixth member of the board, he said.*CGS

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