Senator Risa Hontiveros is calling for an immediate Senate investigation into allegedly unfair joint venture agreements (JVAs) between local water districts and private companies.
On Thursday, July 31, she announced she has refiled Senate Resolution No. 16 to examine the agreements, citing findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) and numerous complaints from consumers.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Hontiveros stated that her call for accountability aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s own push to improve water services.
She noted that many of these JVAs, involving firms like PrimeWater, Manila Water, and Metro Pacific Water, contain provisions that are “unfair to the Filipino people” and favor the concessionaires.
The move comes amid growing public concern, including a petition from the Water Watch Advocates in Bacolod to the President.
The group is demanding the revocation of a JVA between the Bacolod City Water District and PrimeWater, which it says has resulted in “substandard water quality, particularly turbid water, affecting the health and well-being of consumers.”
Hontiveros said the Senate investigation would examine how the agreements were structured and how government oversight could be strengthened.
She also expressed support for creating a Department of Water to centralize fragmented water governance, which she believes would lead to a more effective and accountable system.
The senator stressed that ensuring fair and reliable water access is a national priority, especially in the face of climate change and rising demand.*PNA