President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday fully restored water supply in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City with the help of business tycoon Manuel Pangilinan.

Pangilinan owns the CDO Bulk Water Inc. which cut the city’s water supply by 40 percent after the city government allegedly failed to pay the bill.

During a media interview following the distribution of Presidential assistance to farmers and fisherfolk in the city, President Marcos said the restoration was only temporary.

However, the President said he had a conversation with Pangilinan for a long term solution. He was confident the water supply problem in the locality would be solved sooner than expected.

“I’m very confident that we will be able to solve the problem of water. Lalo na medyo dahan-dahan, umuulan ulan na,” the President said.

“Malakas ang loob ko na tuloy-tuloy ‘yan. But that is a short-term solution,” he said. “Kaya’t sabi ko sa kanya (Pangilinan), maghanap tayo para hindi tayo nagkikrisis-krisis,” he said.

“May emergency sa tubig. Gawan na natin ng paraan para pangmatagalan na. Para hindi na natin mabalik-balikan itong problem,” President Marcos said in his speech during the continuation of the massive presidential aid program in Mindanao.

President Marcos vouched for Pangilinan, saying the business tycoon complies when he commits to an undertaking.

Earlier, President Marcos confirmed Pangilinan agreed to coordinate with CDO Mayor Rolando Uy and local officials to discuss ways on how to address the water issues and provide the city’s water requirement.

“Hindi natin hahayaang mapagkaitan ang mga taga Cagayan de Oro ng kanilang karapatang magkaroon ng sapat, malinis, at ligtas na suplay ng tubig,” President Marcos said.

He directed the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to explore the possibility of managing the CDO water district to analyze solutions to the existing water challenges. PND