A RETIRED decorated three-star police officer and professional manager took over the helm of the 139-year-old Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), as Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar formally sworn in Reynaldo V. Velasco and four other members of the agency’s Board of Trustees in simple rites at Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) main office last week.
Villar, who sits as the ex-officio chairman of the MWSS Board of Trustees by virtue of his position as public works secretary, inducted the new set of DPWH board, namely: Velasco, retired Judge Franklin J. Demonteverde, retired Sandigan Justice Jose R. Hernandez, lawyer Melanie Sia-Lambino, former Trade Undersecretary Merly M. Cruz and lawyer Valeriano F. Pasquil.
Velasco, who, besides being a member of the board, is also appointed as the new administrator and, thus, automatically will become the vice chairman of the board, pursuant to the MWSS Charter.
At his assumption to office last Thursday, Velasco, who served for one term as mayor in a Pangasinan town, thanked President Duterte and Villar for the challenge and opportunity to be part of a great institution and regulatory body that is MWSS.
He also thanked former President Fidel V. Ramos, a provincemate and former boss, who served as a co-founder of the Special Action Force, along with former Defense Secretary Renato S. de Villa with Velasco as the first SAF Commander, for vouching for his managerial capacity.
As new administrator, Velasco vowed to further revitalize MWSS by embracing the basic principle of what is fair and just to all stakeholders:
- Affordable, safe and clean water to 20 million Metro Manila consumers and adjoining provinces;
- Honor and respect concession agreements with three major concessionaires: Maynilad, Manila Water and the Bulacan Bulk Water; and, at the same time, demand for the fast-tract implementation of sewerage treatment plants in the metropolis;
- Sustainable and sufficient water supply in the next 25 years through new flagship dam projects;
- Strong partnership with local governments and nongovernmental organizations to push for better services, water conservation and environmental advocacies; and
- Merit and reward system for MWSS employees and the grant of incentives and bonuses attuned to GOCC amd DBM guidelines.
“I have been blessed to serve in the government and public service, it is my hope and desire that the same modicum of success can be achieved by MWSS—with your help and by everyone else. It is no secret in the National Police that we were successful because I was privileged to work with efficient professionals. I don’t intend to fail at MWSS, that’s why I want to cultivate among you the best in your abilities and professionalism,” Velasco said.
He added: “We shall also pursue other flagship projects, like the Laiban, Kaliwa at Kanan [Dam] projects, that will ensure adequate, steady and sustainable water supply for our consumers in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces in the next 25 to 50 years.”
Among the new policy initiatives of the new MWSS include seeking other revenue-generation projects through proper disposal of old assets and review of the existing rental arrangements with its customers.