HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

Morong is a unique case study.

The town could have established a water district of its own a long time ago, perhaps even antedating Tanay, if not for a distinct disadvantage: it had no existing municipal waterworks system to speak of.

At the time, LWUA had been prioritizing communities that could meet two basic requirements: at least 20,000 population and with existing water supply system.

Morong could very well pass the first criterium with its 25,000 plus population at that time but the second requirement would take some doing. Hence for a long while, all that the Morong folks could do was hope that things would change and made do with what a clutch of local waterworks cooperatives could dish out. Coop’s water was inexpensive, yes, but the service was generally poor and the maintenance and repair of the system’s facilities were disturbingly costly.

The break finally came early 1980. A LWUA feasibility study found out that Morong, despite the absence of a water system, could be viable after all.

With this cue, then Mayor Jose Pantaleon wasted no more time and batted for the formation of a water district in his jurisdiction.

But this met initial setback when his move was blocked by some partisan group within the Sangguniang Bayan. Nonetheless, after serious efforts by both LWUA and Mayor Pantaleon, the political obstacle was finally eliminated paving the way for the establishment of the Morong Water District on August 1980. Five months later, LWUA issued the water district its conditional certificate of conformance or CCC, making it fully eligible for the former’s assistance.

With no system to operate, and hence no operating revenue, the initial board of directors of MOWAD directed its attention and efforts at the realization of its own water system. It promptly named Horacio Calma as the water district’s first general manager to facilitate talks and arrangements with LWUA regarding the said project.

But the tough demands of the board, touched off a wholesale resignation that left member Felix Sta. Maria took it upon himself the formation of the new board, with himself being designated as the chairman. The new board thru GM Calma continued with the work to ensure LWUA’s financial assistance for the water supply, at that time already off the drawing boards and ready for implementation.

The interim improvement project of Morong Water District finally want through in November of 1982 with Jora D’ Builders, a private construction firm awarded the project at the cost of P1.1 million, funds coming from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through a loan from LWUA.

However, when it seemed that things are already falling into their right places, another serious blow struck the struggling water district: Horacio Calma resigned. Without any source of income, the board just could not give Calma remuneration equal to his calling as a GM, a family man at that.

Faced with this leadership crisis aggravated by the fact that a GM was greatly needed especially at the time when the construction project was nearing completion, board chairman, Felix Sta. Maria, was forced to temporarily assume the GMship of the water district. But later, pressured by LWUA to get a permanent replacement for the retired Calma, the MOWAD board scouted for somebody who would be willing and able to assume the position. There were no takers. It was at this point that the MOWAD board offered the position to Edgar Sta. Maria, the chairman’s young engineer son who was then employed by the district as its project inspector. The young Sta. Maria took the challenge.

With the leadership vacuum filled up, the water district went about campaigning for service connectors, securing guarantee deposits amounting to P16,000 in the process, while the construction of the new water system was still going on. In between, GM Sta. Maria had to put up with some hassles like local threats to disrupt the construction activities. At the time, according to GM Sta. Maria, the people were still skeptical, even indifferent, over the undertaking. “They just won’t believe their eyes even through the construction activities, pipe-laying and all, were very visible and true”, the young GM would later remember.

The project was finally finished a year later on October 14, 1983 and was immediately put into operation. Morong’s newly completed water system consists of pumping station, seven kilometers of distribution and transmission pipelines, a few fire hydrants and a network of some 800 connection lines. It was designed for around 200 connectors, initially.

Some time back, in anticipation of the completion of the system, GM Sta. Maria had taken actions towards the organization of the water district backbone staff which will run and maintain the system. In need of start-up capital, he borrowed a part of the guarantee deposits made by the concessionaires and secured P10,000 loan from a bank which he used to rent and renovate the water district office, hire two staffers and defray expenses of the water district.

Six years after the original water system was constructed, the Morong Water Distict is well on its way towards achieving its bigger objectives. It now serves about, 1,400 service connections or roughly 9,000 people representing about a quarter of the town’s population.

Among the improvements effected by MOWAD since 1983 are the construction of an elevated water tank with 4,500 gallons capacity located at Sagbat, Maybancal; a ground reservoir with a capacity of 81,000 gallons at Taghangin, an additional pumping station with capacity of 450 gallons per minute (GPM), and an administration building constructed out of savings from the reservoir project. MOWAD has also completed pipeline extension in Natividad St., R. Palma, J. Pascual, Capinpin, E. dela Paz, Mla. East Road, E. Rodriguez, C. Francisco, H. Marcelino, Balante, Payapa St. and Maytigbi.

*Reference: History and Development of MOWAD “MOWAD Monitor” The Official Publication of Morong Water District, October 1989, pages 3 and 4.

During 1984 to 1981, MOWAD operation expanded continually with the construction and installation of additional facilities, the Paglabas pumping station at  Barangay San Pedro; pipeline extension at three(3) adjacent Barangay’s namely Barangay San Juan, San  Pedro and Maybancall construction of concrete ground reservoir at Sitio Sagbat Maybancal, with a capacity of 65,000 gallons and the construction of the office Bilding at Barangay San Pedro where the district is holding its office now.

In1992 the water district underwent reformation in its operation with the abrupt change in management. LWUA attempted to take over the operation anfd management of MOWAD due to accumulated arrearages incurred by the water district for non-payment of loan. But the Board Directors, though its chairman Anicento G. Mateo , did not concede to LWUA proposition. It rather opted to remain as independent water district and retain its present set0up with fice(5) member Board of Directors and a General Manager to fill up the vacant position. The first move he did, with the approval of the Board was to pay LWUA quarter of a million in order not to pursue its pending take over.

In 1993 Board Member Crispin S. Guiterrez, who is a certified Public Accountant(CPA) was appointed by the Board of Directors to replace OIC San Diego as full pledge  General Manager. With his experience in management and commitment to serve, he initiated cost cutting measures and implemented some changes in the organization to ensure the effective discharge of each division’s functions and keep pace with the present economic condition .

In 1995, various improvement projects were undertaken in different areas in the Municipality of Morong Including Barangay San Guillermo  with complete facilities, one (1) pumping station, one(1) steel bolted storage tank and pipelines to service the area.

In 1997, compleytion of expansion projects were carried out in the Main System with the construction of one deepwell at Sitio Calero and installation of additional transmission and distribution lines to interconnect this new facility to the existing concrete reservoir at Maybancal. Likewise improvement in water supply in the whole town proper were noted especially those users residing in upland areas at Barangay San Juan, San Jose and Maybancal.

In 1998, Brgy. Bombongan Water System was turned over to the water district. Replacement of new submersible pump and motor and rehabilitation of the existing pipelines were implemented to sustain the water supply needs of the resident in the area.

In 2002 , after its 20^th year operation, considerable increase in service connections  were noted thus total service connections rose to 5,000 or roughly 35,000 residents were served potable water in the area. Gross revenues also registered an average growth rate of 41% per year between  1984 to 2002. Total assets rose to P28 milion.

In 2003, as a result of its phenomenal development particularly in the last few years, the Morong Water District was re-categorized from its former average water district classification straight to its present category as big water district, by passing the in-between medium district category.

In 2004, another expansion projects in the town proper and other remote areas in the Municipality of Morong were completed from the additional load granted by the LWUA thru the facilities of  Asian Development Bank (ADK) amounting P65.-0 million. Components of the project include construction of pumping station and steel tank at Calero and Balante.

2005, reward also came in the form of MOWAD’s being awarded by LWUA as among the most outstanding water district in the big category during the national convention of the Phillipine Association of Water District(PAWD) held in Bacolod City and recently at LWUA-Water Districts Forum held at  Tagaytay City last March, 2005.

2010, to meet the increasing demand for potable water supply at Taghangin, Brgy. Maybancal, another expansion project, Taghangin Pumping Station,  was initiated thru than Non-LWUA Initiated Fund (NLIF).

*Reference: MOWAD 30^th Anniversary Souvenir Program “Bagong Pananaw, Bagong  Pag-asa Bagong Dekada ng Paglilingkod.” January 12, 2011 , pages 17 and 18.

In 2011, MOWAD begun the installation of 100 m uPVC pipeline extension at V.Javier St., Pulkum. However this was halted due to some oppositions. The water district just manage to install 250 linear meter of pipes .

In 2012 the rehabilitation of pipeline at Sitio Itaas, Bombongan was realized to cater better water service to the concessionaires of Sitio Itaas. A total of 862 liner mewter of 100mm uPVC pipe was installed for the water service in the area.

In 2014, the present management under the leadership of the board of Directors headed by Chairman Ronnie M. Pascual and thru GM Dicksin A. San Juan, MOWAD was able to open the district’s mainline connecting Sitio Lanang and Sitio Pulkum to give service to the people in the area after a series of negotiations and various challenges.

The present  management of Morong Water District despite big challenge that confronted them, did not stop to initiate more efforts to continue the pipeplaying at Sitio. Pulkum . In 2015, the district successfully laid its pipelines in the area covering whole Pulkum thru the perseverance and commitment of the management to bring its water service to the people of Sitio Pulkum.

To ensure the enough supply of potable and clean water for Moronguenos, the district, purchase 757 square meter lot owned by Mr. Mario Mateo for the site of the new pumping station. This will also be the site of various infrastructure facilities like sub-office,garage,water testing laboratory, and mini-warehouse.

At present, the well drilling for the pumping station at Sitio Caingin is in progress. The expences for the drilling is from the savings of the district  for he last three(3) years. This pumping station is expected to be opened on or before July of 2016.

Morong Water District is now on its 35 years of serving Moronguenos and strives to bring best service to life