Tagum Water District

The Ministry of Public Works And Highways (Now Department of Public Works and Highways) constructed the original water supply of the Municipality of Tagum (Now Tagum City) in 1977. The system consisted of a deep well (abandoned since 1990 due to excessive sand pumping) equipped with a 7.5 horsepower submersible pump located in the former Provincial Engineer’s Office compound, 4.6 kilometers of GI, PE, PVC distribution pipelines and an elevated tank (now transferred to New Public Market ) with a capacity of 110 cubic meters. It was then operated by the municipal government and was serving about 91 unmetered concessionaires mostly located in the market area of Tagum until 1980, when the Sangguniang Bayan of Tagum passed Resolution No. 103 dated 1980, creating the Tagum Water District (TWD). With the creation , the TWD acquired the ownership and management of the water supply system in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 198 as amended , which is also known as the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973. Under this charter, the TWD was qualified to avail of the financial and technical assistance from LWUA to satisfactorily perform its functions/ responsibilities.

On December 16, 1981, LWUA awarded Conditional of Conformance (CCC) No. 175 to the TWD after it had complied with all the requirements. The certificate entitled the TWD to all the rights and privileges provided under PD No. 198 as amended.

TWD operates as a government corporation with proprietary functions and is independent from the local government of Tagum City. It is subject to the provisions of P.D. 198 as amended, and the rules and regulations of LWUA.

Thus, upon formation on June 1980, Mayor Leonardo C. Tolentino appointed five (5) Board of Directors selected from among the several nominees of various organizations in the locality. The numbers of personnel of the district were four (4) namely: the General Manager, Billing Clerk and two (2) Utility Men. The first set of Directors appointed and given the gargantum task of organizing the water district were:

Name Sector Represented

Mr. Loreto R. Ang, CPA Business Sector

Mr. Arrel R. Olaño, CPA Civic Sector

Mr. Pedro B. San Jose Education Sector

Mrs. Eufrecina Q. Trebajo Women Sector

Engr. Benigno L. Jayectin Professional Sector


The Tagum Water District is located at Mirafuentes National Highway, Tagum City. Its organizational structure consists of the Board of Directors, the General Manager and the staff and line organizational units, as stipulated in the Presidential Decree 198 or what is termed as the “Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973.

The policies of the water district emanate from the Board of Directors (BOD), whose members are nominated from among the various sectors of the community and appointed by the mayor or the governor. The BOD comprises of five members each of whom respectively serves as representative of the civic-oriented organizations; the professional associations; the business, commercial/ industrial or financial organizations; the educational institutions; and the women’s sector. The members of the Board have a regular term of office of six years.

The General Manager (GM), who is appointed by the BOD heads the district. The GM manages and supervises the day-to-day operations of the district and is responsible for the implementation of the policies, rules and regulations set by the BOD.

The staff and line organizational units serve as the support group of the management. Specific functions are delegated and assigned to certain units as deemed exigent to assist the management in operating the water supply system effectively and efficiently. The line and staff organizational units are composed of the Commercial, the Administrative, and the Technical Sections (Operation and Engineering. Each section has its own duties and responsibilities.

At present, TWD operates 9 pump stations to service more than 24,000 concessionaires in Tagum City. TWD envisions a sustainable, responsive, world class and progressive water service for the communities of Davao del Norte.