Reacting to the claim of the mayor that the previous administration had done nothing to address the city’s water and solid waste problems, Vergara disclosed that he can boast of the fact that his administration was responsible for the sourcing out of a R590 million soft loan from Australia for the implementation of the repiping project of the Baguio Water District (BWD) in preparation for the realization of the controversial bulk water project.

Moreover, he claimed that they were responsible for the construction and operationalization of eight deep wells, particularly those at Ambiong, Teacher’s Camp, Baguio general Hospital (BGH), M. Roxas, and two other areas plus two units at Amparo Heights compared to the no accomplishment of the Yaranon administration to solve the worsening water crisis in the city.

BWD records show that only 65 percent of the repiping project was completed during the Vergara administration due to the insufficiency of funds and that the Yaranon administration was supposed to continue the project to complete the repiping project before the implementation of the bulk water project but nothing has yet happened.

"He (Yaranon) has been the one sitting on his balls. If you can see, he is only concentrating on the drilling of additional deep wells which is not the ultimate solution to the city’s water problem," the embattled former official stressed.

On the solid waste management issue, he revealed that upon assumption to office in year 2001, he immediately ordered the purchase of seven additional garbage trucks to improve the city government’s efficiency in the collection of the garbage.

Tthe city government was able to address the complaints of Tuba residents on the overflowing of garbage at the dumpsite with the construction of a P10 million retaining wall at the Irisan dumpsite.

At the same time, Vergara’s administration was responsible for the construction of a composting plant worth P4.5 million which is now being utilized to produce quality fertilizer for local farmers and a source of livelihood of local residents in the area.

"With this initial wave of accomplishments, who is now sitting on his balls? We have noted that the present leadership has not even done anything to force residents to comply with the segregation scheme," Vergara exclaimed.

With regard to the market cleanup and development, the ex-mayor asserted that despite serious criticisms from the vendors, he pursued the removal of extended stalls and obstructions that paved the way for the implementation of the routine cleanup of the market.

On the projected development of the market, Vergara emphasized that he wants the pending court case fastracked so that the city government could source out funds for the construction of a twostorey modest market building that would house the legitimate vendors at the ground floor and the other interested investors at the second floor.

Vergara also lamented the present administration for again ‘sitting on his balls’ in failing to implement vital infrastructure projects such as the P35 million Mines View multipurpose center, the Asin conference hall, the impact projects in the barangays among others, which caused a stagnation in the public works sector in the city.

He challenged Yaranon to first look at his performance since it now appears that he is eating his words.

A concrete exampled cited by the former mayor is the failure of Yaranon to fulfill his election promise to eject jadewell parking systems Corporation in three days upon assumption to office.

As an indication of his being a copycat of the Vergara administration, Yaranon is now signing the same tune with previous officials when he announced that the city should wait for the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) on the jadewell issue.

By Dexter A. See