DAVAO CITY – City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wants Hedcor, Inc. and Davao City Water District (DCWD) to enter into an agreement before the 20th of March for the use of Tamugan River.

Hedcor, Inc. and DCWD had reached a stalemate in the use of the river because they could not agree on where the drop off will be located. DCWD wants it below 400 meters above sea level.

It was learned that the Hedcor power plant that would be set up in Tamugan would give an additional 27 megawatts to the city’s power supply.

Duterte, during last Friday’s City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting, ordered DCWD and Hedcor, Inc. to iron out their draft agreement on the use of Tamugan River on or before the 20th of the month.

“Bahala kayo kung anong gagawin ninyo basta’t within the 20th tapos na ang draft ninyo,” Duterte said.

The city chief executive said he wants the problem between the DCWD and Hedcor Inc. to be ironed out “so the next generation will not suffer as much as we are suffering now.”

After a long stand off between the two utility companies, they have finally reached a compromise as disclosed by lawyer Eliseo Braganza of the DCWD.

Braganza said Hedcor Inc. has already submitted a proposal that is acceptable to DCWD two weeks ago.

“There are still points that we need to reconcile but we will settle this,” he said.

As this developed, there are still some points that need to be ironed out but the two companies have already agreed “in principle” on the use of the Tamugan River.

Braganza said “there is an assurance that there would be no more controversy on the agreement.”

Another issue hindering the setting up of the power plant is the Watershed Code that prevents the construction of any structure in watershed areas. Tamugan is one of the city’s watershed areas.

Meanwhile, Duterte said he would meet with the members of the City Council and appeal to them to forge a compromise that would allow Hedcor, Inc. to set up a power plant.