LWUA says its precedence is to convey water to involved areas as quickly as doable. ‘Act first, finger-point later,’ says LWUA chief Jose Salonga, as PrimeWater vows to cooperate.
MANILA, Philippines – The continuing investigation of the Native Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) into the unhealthy service of personal concessionaire PrimeWater will cowl “doable battle [of interest]” of the Division of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) when it was headed by Secretary and now Senator Mark Villar, whose brother owns the water firm.
LWUA has been hooked up to DPWH since 2011. LWUA oversees the water districts nationwide which entered into almost 100 three way partnership agreements (JVAs) with the Villar owned-PrimeWater particularly throughout the Duterte administration when Mark was DPWH secretary from 2016 to 2021.
PrimeWater is owned by Mark’s brother Manuel Paolo, and a part of the empire of their mother and father former senators Manny and Cynthia Villar. Malacañang launched an investigation as a response to mounting shopper complaints about years-long unhealthy service.
“Mas dumami ang mga three way partnership agreements ng PrimeWater taong 2019 panahon ng nakaraang administrasyon at nung mai-attach ito sa DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] na midday ay pinamumunuan ni Secretary Mark Villar,” Press Undersecretary Claire Castro stated throughout a briefing on Friday, July 4.
(PrimeWater’s three way partnership agreements elevated in 2019 throughout the time of the earlier administration when it was hooked up to the DPWH which was then headed by Secretary Mark Villar.)
“Kasi po there was a time that LWUA was an hooked up company to DPWH na doable battle sa mga namumuno ‘dun so allow us to simply expound it when the time comes,” stated LWUA Administrator Jose Moises Salonga.
(As a result of there was a time that LWUA was an hooked up company to DPWH which is a doable battle [of interest] of the management so allow us to simply expound on it when the time comes.)
Irregularities and choices
Rappler has been advised by a number of stakeholders in PrimeWater areas of alleged irregularities when these water districts entered into the contracts. Most of the contracts weren’t outcomes of public bidding, however unsolicited proposals by PrimeWater. In areas like San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and Camarines Norte, auditors have noticed how water districts there have been doing nicely, however suffered revenue losses when PrimeWater grew to become their three way partnership associate.
“As together with your remark that there are irregularities on the bottom, that has additionally been addressed in our report, the folks involved have been placed on discover that this must be thought of and most definitely reformed and corrected inside the subsequent few days as soon as we act,” stated Salonga in response to a query from Rappler.
Terminating contracts are to date proving to be tough as a result of in some areas, PrimeWater has been successful in courtroom, the newest in La Union. Requested whether or not terminations and compulsions are choices that LWUA is exploring at this level, Salonga stated: “It’s a part of our technique, termination and compulsion won’t convey water, we’re right here to behave first, finger-point later.”
Tales on the bottom
In Bulacan, Vice Governor Alex Castro earlier stated it appeared that the native authorities was held “hostaged” by the “untouchable” PrimeWater.
“Alam mo laging nagiging dahilan ng PrimeWater, hindi po kami sakop ng LGU [Local Government Unit]. Merong parang secretary na nagsabi na walang kontrol ang LGU, na iyon ang lakas ng loob nila eh, na parang kami, tayong mga nasa native authorities, untouchable sila eh,” Castro advised Rappler in an interview on April 28.
(PrimeWater’s frequent reasoning is that they don’t seem to be below the native authorities unit or LGU. There’s even a secretary earlier than who stated the LGU doesn’t have management, and that’s the place they get their audacity from, that it appears to us within the native authorities, they’re untouchable.)
In Camarines Norte, auditors flagged in 2017 the journey expense claims of a few of the water board’s administrators. Auditors stated the claims for his or her US journey “weren’t supported with the required authority to journey overseas (ATA) from the Workplace of the President (OP), thus funds had been thought of irregular.”
It seems that they acquired their journey authority from Mark Villar himself.
“The overall supervisor…acknowledged that CNWD [Camarines Norte Water District] has secured permission or accredited authority to journey from the Workplace of the Administrator of the Native Water Utilities Administration, pursuant to the authority delegated by the Secretary of the Division of Public Works and Highways,” stated the CNWD’s 2017 audit report.
Salonga stated, nonetheless, that their precedence is convey water to areas in want as quickly as doable.
“Ang unang titingnan natin ‘yung mga water districts na gustong kumalas, yung maiingay na yun, ngayon medyo politically charged ang concern na ‘yan na kanino, magkakaroon kami ng matrix, it’s additionally a matter of logistics, saan ang obtainable property namin na madedeliver kaagad,” Salonga stated.
(The primary areas we’ll have a look at are the water districts which had pre-terminated, the noisy ones, now it’s a barely politically-charged concern to find out which of them. We could have a matrix, it’s additionally a matter of logistics, the place are our obtainable property that may ship rapidly.)
PrimeWater vows to cooperate
In an announcement on July 2, Tuesday, PrimeWater acknowledged LWUA’s submission of its report back to the Workplace of the President on the evaluate of its JVAs with water districts.
“We respect the method undertaken by LWUA and different related authorities companies. PrimeWater stays dedicated to cooperating absolutely with all regulatory our bodies,” the corporate stated.
“As a part of our dedication to transparency and accountability, we proceed to have interaction with stakeholders and uphold our obligations below the three way partnership framework. We additionally stay open to any steering or suggestions that will come up from this course of, as we attempt to strengthen our operations and reply to the wants of the communities we serve,” PrimeWater stated.
Preliminary survey by LWUA noticed complaints about rusty and foul-smelling water throughout Luzon — Quezon, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga, and La Union notably. Bacolod residents have, for years, been combating to terminate its PrimeWater contract.
If you’re affected by PrimeWater service and wish to ship us your suggestions, please e-mail investigative@rappler.com and/or the writer lian.buan@rappler.com.
– Rappler.com
