The city government here assured on Monday that it has enough funds to support scholars’ free education.

Mayor Rolando Uy said his administration remains committed to paying any amount they owe Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (XU).

“It has been one of my flagship programs that college education must be provided for students who belong to poor families,” he said.

Uy noted that the payment to XU will be completed before the start of Academic Year 2024-2025, as the city government will also accept new scholars by that time.

Per the City Scholarship Office record, 8,845 scholars are studying in different tertiary schools in the city.

In XU alone, he said 308 scholars are enrolled.

Aside from the tuition fees, Uy said the city government will also settle its PHP7.8 million obligation to the university for rental payments of facilities during the pandemic from 2020 to 2022.

The mayor clarified that he inherited the obligations from the previous administration.

Meanwhile, Uy said the local government will negotiate with Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI) for consideration on its payment demand to avoid inconveniencing consumers.

“I ask COBI not to cut its supply to COWD (Cagayan de Oro Water District) because it will severely affect the city’s households [even if] we have to pay the bills [by installment],” he said.

Uy also told the COWD board of directors not to raise water rates at this time since the city is still recovering from the debilitating economic effect caused by the pandemic.

A report said COWD still owes COBI over PHP437 million.

COWD charges PHP16.60 per cubic meter daily, while COBI bills COWD PHP20.57 per cubic meter of water daily.

“If privatizing COWD would mean resolving this (billing) problem similar to what was done by other local governments, then I am open to it,” Uy said. (PNA)