WATER DISTRICT EMPLOYEES HOLD 3RD NATIONAL CONFAB

Submitted by courage_phil on Thu, 10/01/2009 - 07:06.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY- The Water System
Employees’ Response (WATER), a federation of water district employees from
across the country, held today its 3^rd National Congress in Cagayan
de Oro City.  Employees’ unions from the
water districts of San Pablo (Laguna), Lipa, Calamba, Pili, Pagsanjan, Quezon
Province, Bacolod, Davao, Surigao, Pagadian, Polomolok, Cagayan de Oro, Tagum
and Dipolog were in attendance to discuss salient issues affecting not only the
employees but also their clients.

 

Among the matters discussed during the
congress are the grave effects of privatization, the inefficient services of
the GSIS and the unjust implementation of the Salary Standardization Law 3 (SSL
3). The body also elected its national officers.

 

“The worsening privatization trend presently
besetting the water districts poses a very serious problem in providing
accessible and potable water to everyone. The Water Crisis Act of 1997 during
the Ramos administration opened the floodgates of wholesale privatization of
water districts nationwide. The Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS)
experience has shown that privatization failed to deliver the promise of providing
better services including lower rates. The government gave the private
concessionaires the liberty to implement water rate hikes,” said WATER National
President Rudy Aranjuez, also of the Davao City Water District.

 

WATER claimed that privatizing the water
districts will also imperil the employees’ job security and tenure. The MWSS
retrenched thousand of its workers after being sold to the Lopezes and the
Ayalas. “Water is life. This should not be treated like a commodity. If the
control of water distribution will be left at the hands of big capitalists who
target super profits, we can expect much higher prices. Our campaign against
privatization is our fight for better social services that the Filipino people
deserve,” stated Aranjuez.

 

Meanwhile, the employees also came up with a
resolution urging GSIS to release calamity benefits to members who were
terribly affected by the typhoon Ondoy. “It
was heartbreaking to see our fellow countrymen struggling for their lives
during the typhoon. Many of our colleagues in the government service were among
those who experienced the terrible ordeal. Sana
man lang sa panahong ito, may maitulong ang GSIS sa kanyang mga kasapi,” added
Aranjuez. #