Gov wants PrimeWater deal revoked

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BULACAN Gov. Daniel Fernando proposed the revocation of the joint venture agreements entered by water districts in the province affected by the "poor service" of PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. (PWIC).

This was the governor's statement amid the numerous complaints his office received regarding the lack of water supply in the towns of Calumpit, Malolos City, Marilao and San Jose del Monte City.

Ferrnando said that he is waiting for the report of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) of Bulacan regarding the committee hearings on the water supply so that immediate and appropriate actions can be taken.

Vice Gov. Alex Castro said the Provincial Board recently conducted hearings regarding the unsatisfactory service of PrimeWater. He also ordered the review of the joint venture agreements of PrimeWater with local water districts.

Castro wanted to scrutinize the contract to see if violations had been made.

Fernando and Castro also appealed to the national government, particularly to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), to act on the grievances of the Bulakenyo people and intervene in their problems since PrimeWater is not under the jurisdiction of the local government unit.

"I think this is a national issue. This is not only a problem in Bulacan but in other areas also," said Castro. "The national government must step in."

The San Jose Del Monte Water District (SJDMWD) already made a resolution for the pretermination of their joint venture agreement with the Villar-owned PWIC.

The SJDMWD Board of Directors has formally moved to preterminate its agreement with PrimeWater amid the severe water crisis affecting the city residents.

Bryan Ocampo, city information officer of City of San Jose del Monte, said the office of the city mayor has received a letter dated April 10, 2025, from SJDMWD chairman Aurelio Jose Jr. informing the mayor that the board had passed Resolution 15, Series of 2025, on April 3, "directing the issuance of a notice of intent to preterminate the joint venture agreement with PrimeWater."

"We issued the notice to PWIC last April 7, 2025 and referred the matter to our statutory counsel, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel," the letter stated.

The move follows months of mounting complaints over unreliable, insufficient and often nonexistent water services across the city, forcing the local government unit (LGU) to step in and provide emergency measures, through the directives of San Jose del Monte City Mayor Arthur Robes.

Among these was the large-scale deployment of city-operated water lorries that distributed free water rations daily across affected barangay.

The water district's decision is consistent with its earlier stance. In December 2024, the SJDMWD Board also passed a resolution expressing no objection to the requests of several barangay for a new water service provider due to PrimeWater's failure to sufficiently supply their water needs.

These are the barangay of Kaybanban, San Isidro, San Roque, Paradise Farms and Ciudad Real.

The city government and the SJDMWD are expected to initiate further consultations with stakeholders and pursue legal remedies to ensure a seamless transition and protect the welfare of San Joseños.

Robes said that although water districts are autonomous and not directly under LGU jurisdiction, the General Welfare Clause of the Local Government Code mandates that local leaders act to protect the health and welfare of their constituents.

In recent months, the LGU also conducted negotiations with Maynilad Water Services and other potential providers in preparation for a transition to a new water concessionaire.

Barangay leaders in San Jose del Monte, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to Mayor Robes, Rep. Florida Robes and the entire local government for their "relentless efforts" to address the worsening water crisis in the city.

"We are very thankful to Mayor Art, Cong[resswoman] Rida, and the entire city government for listening to the cries of our constituents. They never abandoned us," said Association of Barangay Chairmen president Zosimo Lorenzo.

"Because of their actions, the right of every San Joseño to a reliable and sufficient water supply is slowly being restored," he added.

Lorenzo lauded the congresswoman not only for pushing local solutions but also for pursuing national reform through the filing of House Bill 1495, or the Domestic Water Supply Act, which seeks to set national standards for water service quality and pricing.