Senator Raffy Tulfo’s committee will open its first hearing on PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation on Monday, with a focus on mounting complaints from consumers over water supply, service quality and billing issues.
Tulfo, as chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, will lead discussions on urgent water-related grievances.
Consumer groups, local governments, water districts, and several major water providers, including PrimeWater, Manila Water Philippine Ventures and Maynilad, are expected to attend the session.
The inquiry comes amid rising frustration over allegations of unfair charges and unreliable services in areas managed by PrimeWater.
Earlier this month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed that the government’s actions against PrimeWater were not linked to his ties with the Villar family, which owns the company.
The President addressed the issue during his podcast, saying the administration’s priority was to ensure reliable access to both water and electricity nationwide.
“Nothing is personal. They are my friends and I respect them, but we have to fix the problem. For me, the point is simply that we need to solve the problem,” he said.
The statement came alongside the administration’s decision to take over Siquijor Island Power Corporation, another Villar-owned utility, following repeated blackouts in the province.
The Energy Regulatory Commission later revoked SIPCOR’s permit to operate for alleged violations of compliance requirements.
The government has since expanded its review to include PrimeWater, citing the volume of complaints received from customers across the country.
PrimeWater has pledged cooperation with regulators and expressed willingness to engage with stakeholders in resolving service issues.
