1Ms. Ma. Teresa C. Combatir , PAWD’s first Executive Director

T he National Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC), in partnership with PAWD and LWUA, conducted a Consumer Empowerment

Seminar (CES) on November 12, 2013 at the Dasmariñas Water District, Dasmariñas City, Cavite.

NCAC holds Consumer Empowerment Seminar for LWDs

Attended by LWDs from Southern Tagalog along with private and public organizations in Cavite, the CES focused on protecting the consumers through educating them with their rights and responsibilities.

“Consumers must enjoy their basic needs in a quality and sustainable environment” said NCAC Chairman Jose Pepito who gave a talk on Consumer Rights and Responsibilities.

“Their health and safety must be safeguarded, their economic rights protected, and their legitimate complaints attended to” he added.

NCAC’s Officer-in-Charge Velma Lim also discussed an overview and salient provisions of Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines to give consumers a better understanding on their protection.

Ms. Teresita Lisama, Deputy Director & Head of the Financial Consumers Affairs Group of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, also discussed “Education on Financial Literacy” and “Consumer Protection Tips”.

The seminar was part of the Memorandum of Understanding between NCAC, LWUA, and PAWD which aims to promote basic consumer rights, more particularly the rights to basic needs, safety, representation, healthy environment, and consumer education.

Lawmakers express...cont’d on page 2

W i th many disallowances being imposed by the

Commission on Audit (COA) on local water districts, the Phil ippine Association of Water districts (PAWD) conducted its f irst-ever Forum on COA disallowances on November 20, 2013 in Cebu City.

PAWD holds forum on COA disallowances

Atty. Sarah Lisa Abella, a former State Auditor from COA, served as the Resource Speaker of the forum which was attended by members of the PAWD Board of Governors and Executive Council.

Atty. Abella, who is also familiar with LWD procedures as a consultant of several LWDs such as San Pedro, Metro Kalibo, and Dumangas, first discussed “Selected COA Key Services Procedural Flow” which gave a detailed and step-by-step guide to LWDs needing the services of COA.

Among the COA services tackled by Atty. Abella are Audit, Legal and Adjudication, Technical, Training and other services which could be important to the operations of LWDs.

Other topics discussed by Atty. Abella are (1) Fundamental Principles Governing Financial Transactions and Operations, (2) General Requirements for All Types of Disbursements, (3) Types of Disbursements and Relevant Laws, Rules and Regulations and (4) Updates & Administrative Remedies.

Participants were also given a chance to ask questions and seek clarifications on their various and unique cases with COA during the open forum.

With its success and significance, PAWD plans to conduct same forum that could be attended by other member-LWDs

President Silva (second from left) receives a certificate of appreciation from NCAC Chairman Jose Pepito for PAWD’s support to the Consumer Empowerment Seminar which was hosted by the Dasmariñas WD. Also in the photo are resource speakers (from left) Ms. Velma Lim of NCAC and Teresita Lisama of BSP.

Atty. Sarah Lisa Abella during PAWD’s Forum on COA Disallowances

R epresentatives Miro Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City) and Mark Enverga (1st District, Quezon) expressed wil l ingness

to co-sponsor and support Senator Ralph G. Recto’s Senate Bil l No. 612 last November 26, 2013 at the House of Representatives, Quezon City during their separate meetings with PAWD officials.

Lawmakers express support to PAWD on tax condonation problem

PAWD Chairman Gilbert Camaligan and GM Art Baylosis appealed to the lawmakers to pass a counterpart of the said bill entitled “An Act Removing the Conditions for Condonation of All Unpaid Taxes Due from Local Water Districts, Amending for the purpose section 289-A of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended.”

Said proposal aims to relieve the local water

districts from submitting documentary requirements in order to avail of the tax condonation as provided by R.A. No. 10026 or the Income Tax Exemption of Water Districts.

Rep. Quimbo, who is also the Chairman

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is the official monthly news update of the Philippine Association of Water Districts, Inc. with editorialoffice at the PAWD Office, LWUA Bldg., Katipunan Ave., Balara, Quezon City, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (+632) 920-5453, Fax (+632) 927-5032, e-mail: pawd_office@yahoo.com.

EDITORIAL STAFFARTURO G. VILLASAN

Chairman

MA. TERESA C. COMBATIRManaging Editor

KARLO CEASAR C. ABARQUEZReporter

INAH T. ROJAS-ALBUERALay-out Artist

ADVISERSGILBERTO D. CAMALIGAN

ALFREDO S. SILVA

Lawmakers express ... from page 1

Acting LWUA Administrator Eduardo Santos (extreme left) apprised the PAWD officials on the situation of local water districts (LWDs) affected by super typhoon Yolanda during the PAWD Executive Council meeting last November 21, 2013 in Cebu City.

Administrator Santos also guaranteed that LWUA will impose a moratorium on loan payments of affected LWDs to help them recover from the devastation. Also in the photo are (from left) Chairman Gilbert Camaligan and Executive Vice-President Pablito Paluca.

of the Ways and Means Committee, said that he will solicit support from other Representatives to strengthen the counterpart bill in the Lower House.

Rep. Enverga, a member of the same committee, also conveyed support to PAWD’s position and said that he will coordinate with Rep. Quimbo on the matter.

During the 4th quarter meeting of the PAWD in Cebu, GM Stella Gonzales of Metro Kidapawan WD also reported that North Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco also expressed her willingness to co-sponsor the said bill.

Rep. Miro Quimbo (extreme left) discusses with PAWD Chairman Camaligan and GM Art Baylosis

PAWD leaders meets with Rep. Enverga (extreme right)

W i th the massive devastation brought about by super typhoon Yolanda to local water districts in parts of

Visayas and Mindanao, PAWD and many of i ts members stepped up to provide many forms of assistance to LWDs and their personnel.

PAWD show unity amidst calamities

Heeding the appeal of the PAWD leadership for financial assistance, several LWDs donated cash donations that were used to buy relief goods and medicines for the survivors.

Through the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD), the collective efforts and contributions of LWDs reached the affected LWDs especially in the hardest hit areas such as Leyte and Samar.

MCWD, aside from providing water trucks and generators, also sent manpower to several LWDs that helped in repairing pipelines and clearing the area of ruins and wastes caused by the typhoon.

Many regional, provincial LWD associations as well as individual LWDs will also sacrifice their Christmas party in favour of providing more cash assistance to LWDs adversely affected by the disaster.

“We are currently establishing strategies to properly distribute the donations. Rest assured that all the money will only benefit the affected LWDs and their employees” said PAWD Chairman Gilbert Camaligan.

“In behalf of the PAWD leadership, I am grateful to all LWDs who sacrificed for our brothers and sisters in need” PAWD President Silva said.

“As one family, we have proven that we can overcome any adversity if we lend our hands to each other” he added.

Aside from the recent calamity, LWDs have shown strong support to each

other as evidenced during the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol and the conflict in Zamboanga City.

Meanwhile, Acting Administrator Eduardo Santos of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) guaranteed that they will impose a moratorium on loan payments of affected LWDs to help them recover from the devastation.

He added that the agency is also planning to establish a Disaster Response Team that can speedily take action during various calamities.

“Once we acquire funding for the program, we will then provide trainings to interested LWD personnel so they can be part of the Disaster Response Team”, said Administrator Santos.

Government Corporate Counsel Raoul Creencia (center) met with members of the PAWD Executive Council to discuss the issue of LWUA’s Non-LWUA initiated Fund (NLIF) on November 29, 2013 at the OGCC, Quezon City.

Atty. Creencia clarified that the contracts between LWUA and LWDs that were already executed and funded through the NLIF are not void and that those contracts still without cash releases will be the ones considered void. For further clarifications and to obtain opinion, he encouraged concerned LWDs to write their assigned lawyers from the OGCC.

Also in the photo are (from left) GM Andres, GM Perez, GM Santos, GM Sang Tian, GM Antiporda, GM Yorong, and Executive Director Combatir.

Committee on PAWD By-Laws Amendment Chair Anselmo Sang Tian (2nd from left) met with his members last November 27, 2013 at the PAWD Office, Quezon City to discuss the possible amendments to the PAWD’s By-Laws which will be presented and voted upon during the PAWD General Assembly on February 2014. The association’s existing Amended By-Laws was approved by the Board of Governors on December 20, 2006 and was ratified by two-thirds of the LWDs’ Board of Directors and General Managers on January 26, 2007.

Also in the photo are (from left) Executive Director Tess Combatir, GM Benni Andres (Orani WD), GM Carlos Santos, Jr. (Sta. Maria WD), GM Mario Villasan (Cabanatuan City WD), and GM Hydee Ramirez (Lemery WD).

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