Julia Christine Botin

Bayan Muna to ask Marcos to cancel PrimeWater joint venture agreements

Article (news)

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- Bayan Muna will file a complaint before the Office of the President against PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation following reports of alleged poor service. </p><p>The group is pushing for the cancellation of the joint venture agreements between the Villar-owned firm and local water districts nationwide, and wants local officials held accountable.</p><p>&quot;Maghahain po ng complaint ang Bayan Muna sa opisina mismo ng Office of the President para ipa-kansela ang joint venture agreement ng PrimeWater Corporation at mga water districts sa buong bansa.&quot; said former lawmaker and Bayan Muna second nominee Atty. Carlos Zarate during a press briefing.</p><p>Zarate said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should order the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to cancel the joint venture agreements. The former lawmaker called for the &quot;de-privatization&quot; of water utilities and the regulation.</p><p>Marcos earlier ordered an investigation on PrimeWater, following numerous complaints from residents of alleged poor service and distribution. The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) said on Monday it has already begun investigating the matter.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/5/lwua-investigates-primewater-over-complaints-of-poor-service-1430" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LWUA investigates PrimeWater over complaints of poor service</a></div><p>Zarate also denounced the remark of Vice President Sara Duterte that the probe is related to politics.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ito usapin ng awayan ng dalawang masamang dinastiya mga Duterte at Marcos. Ito ay usapin ng buhay ng mga mamayan na apektado sa serbisyo sa tubig,&quot; he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/5/2/primewater-probe-not-due-to-politics-malaca-ang-1412" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PrimeWater probe not due to politics: Malacañang</a></div><p>The group will file the complaints with affected residents from Bulacan, Quezon and Bacolod City.</p><p>Former lawmaker and Bayan Muna Party-list first nominee Neri Colmenares said they also want to know if PrimeWater is passing its corporate income tax to consumers.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0la681p211U?&amp;ab_channel=ABS-CBNNewsautoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Affected consumers from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, Lucena, Quezon and Bacolod City shared their experiences.</p><p>Rose Anne Pizano, an affected consumer from San Jose Del Monte lamented the hardships they experienced due to long periods of time with no water.</p><p>&quot;Palagi kaming walang tubig. Minsan po ilang araw kaming walang tubig. Minsan po ang tubig na dumadating sa amin ay marumi, malansa, mabaho, amoy kanal. Hindi po talaga siya safe, lalo na sa mga anak namin,&quot; she shared. </p><p>Pizano said their water bills also went up. </p><p>&quot;Nakaranas po ako dumating yung bill ko, P1,000 yung bill ko noon. Naging P5,000 dahil naging commercial ako. Tapos hindi ko lang nabayaran within three months nag-penalty ako ng P14,000. P14,000 ang binayaran ko sa PrimeWater para ibalik nila ang aking tubig,&quot; Pizano added.</p><p>Clarita Exconde, who is from Lucena, Quezon, also said PrimeWater provided poor service.</p><p>&quot;Bumibili pa tayo ng extra tubig pang-inumin dahil hindi na safe yung ating tubig,&quot; Exconde added.</p><p>The affected consumers call on the current administration to hold the firm accountable.</p><p>Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc on Tuesday filed House Resolution No. 2279 directing the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization to conduct an urgent investigation in aid of legislation. The House probe aims to look into the joint venture agreement between the Villar-owned PrimeWater and the San Jose Del Monte Water District.</p>

<p>Bayan Muna said it will file a complaint before the Office of the President against PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation over alleged poor service issues.</p>

Bayan Muna said it will file a complaint before the Office of the President against PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation over alleged poor service issues.