📷: Courtesy of Bayan Muna
Former Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite has warned of a swelling protest against the Villar-led PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. as more consumers from privatized water districts prepare to file complaints over poor service and rising costs.
Gaite issued the warning on Thursday, May 08, as he led the filing of a complaint at Malacañang seeking the immediate termination of all joint venture deals between PrimeWater and local water districts nationwide.
In a chance interview with Palace reporters, Gaite said that documents are being readied by affected consumers from San Jose del Monte and Bacolod City—areas whose water systems are now operated by PrimeWater under joint venture agreements with local water districts.
“May isasabmit pa po akong iba pang documents,” Gaite said.
“Other users ng PrimeWater, na ngayon ay namomroblema dahil sa privatization ng Villar sa maraming water districts. So ito po yung sasabit namin, may hahabol pang iba kasama ang Bayan Muna,” he added.
The complaints were supported by a formal letter that Bayan Muna sent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. dated May 7, 2025, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
In the letter, the group demanded the cancellation of all JVAs involving PrimeWater and local water districts, citing widespread complaints, breach of contract, and deteriorating services. The letter stated that PrimeWater, a company owned by the Villar family, had taken over operations of numerous water districts through what Bayan Muna described as “highly disadvantageous” agreements.
Consumers across several provinces have reported frequent and prolonged water interruptions that have disrupted daily life and economic activities. In San Jose del Monte and Bacolod City, residents complain of unreliable water supply, while in Quezon, Bulacan, and other areas, consumers have raised alarm over turbid, discolored, and potentially unsafe water.
Compounding the issue is the significant increase in water rates. For instance, in San Jose del Monte, consumers who used to pay ₱280 for the first 10 cubic meters of water are now charged ₱499.53 under PrimeWater’s management.
Residents have also cited PrimeWater’s poor responsiveness to complaints, with many describing customer service as inefficient and unaccountable. Since 2018, San Jose del Monte consumers have protested the non-potable and intermittent supply, unreliable meter reading, and what they describe as unjustified billing practices.
Similar grievances have emerged in Cavite, Bukidnon, and other parts of the country. The ongoing heatwave, the letter added, has only intensified the urgency of the situation.
The letter further noted that the privatization deals have displaced workers from local water districts, whose positions were terminated following PrimeWater’s entry. Bayan Muna stressed that these problems are rooted in the controversial JVAs—around 67 of them—that were mostly signed during the Duterte administration.
Citing legal grounds, the group argued that the JVAs violate the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 (Presidential Decree 198), which vests the responsibility for water services with local water districts and their boards. The transfer of these powers to a private entity like PrimeWater, the group said, constitutes an abdication of statutory duty.
They also questioned the legality of the steep rate hikes, which they argue violate the law’s requirement for just and equitable water pricing.
Presidential Communications Office Press Officer Claire Castro earlier said that Marcos intends to direct an investigation into PrimeWater’s operations.
At the House of Representatives, lawmakers are pushing for a probe into PrimeWater’s joint venture agreements, focusing on their impact on the financial stability of local water districts, the accessibility and quality of water services, and the overall welfare of consumers.
A parallel inquiry has likewise been proposed in the Senate. (TCSP)
