
25/07/2025
CBNews | ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต โ๐ง.๐.๐ง.๐ข. ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒโ ๐๐บ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐
A strong call to action on the rising water rates in Catanduanes echoed through the halls of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as Liga ng mga Barangay President and SP Member, Hon. Tito V. Villamor delivered a privilege speech, urging the passage and adoption of the proposed โ๐ง.๐.๐ง.๐ข. ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒโ or Tubig-Inisyatibo Tungo sa Oportunidad during the SP 3rd Regular Session held on July 14, 2025.
Addressing Vice Governor Robert โObetโ Fernandez and fellow members of the provincial board, PBM Villamor cited increasing grievances from constituents across the provinceโparticularly in the Municipality of Viracโwhere basic access to water has become increasingly burdensome for ordinary families, barangay officials, senior citizens, single mothers, and farmers.
โ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
. ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐,โ PBM Villamor declared during the session.
Concerns have mounted in recent weeks over the reportedly unsustainable water rates being implemented in Virac, described by the speaker as having minimal consultation and lacking transparency. The situation, he warned, could force the poorest residents to resort to unsafe water sources or go without water altogether.
Citing Article II, Section 16 of the 1987 Philippine Constitutionโโ๐ป๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โโ PBM Villamor questioned what kind of community is being built when families must choose between paying for water and buying food.
The T.I.T.O. Ordinance, which was formally submitted for calendaring during the session, aims to empower barangays through sustainable, community-based water initiatives which include:
โข Development of local water sustainability plans
โข Establishment of rainwater harvesting systems
โข Protection of wells and natural springs
โข Creation of Barangay Water Councils
โข Reduction of dependence on centralized, profit-driven water systems
โ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐: โ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐'๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐,โโ PBM Villamor emphasized.
Through his speech, the SP Member appealed to multiple stakeholders for coordinated action:
1. All Water Districts in the Province of Catanduanes โ to publicly disclose their current rate structures and plans for adjustment
2. Sangguniang Panlalawigan โ to conduct a province-wide review of rate justifications and initiate public consultations
3. Municipal Local Government Units through their respective Mayors โ to support barangays with funding and technical assistance for local water projects
4. Barangays and Liga ng mga Barangay โ to unite under the T.I.T.O. framework and reclaim water access for the people
Concluding his speech, the SP Member urged the provincial leadership and community stakeholders to act urgently and collectively:
โ๐ณ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ณ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐.โ
The proposed ordinance will be calendared in the next regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
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๐ต๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐.