By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
The termination of joint venture agreements (JVAs) between the Villar-owned PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation and local water districts (LWDs) around the country is being considered by the government, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) said Friday.
“Kasama iyan sa strategies namin—termination, compulsion will not put water there,” LWUA Administrator Jose Moises Salonga said in a Palace press briefing.
For now, the government’s priority is to address the water problems and not focus on blame, Salonga said.
“We are here to act first, finger point later,” he said. “It’s not about finger pointing or blaming. The issue there is how we put water in those people’s pipes, papaano tayo magpaparating ng tubig sa kanila kasi the finger pointing can follow. The issue now is where do we get the water and how do we deliver it to them.”
Salonga said the LWUA comprehensive report on PrimeWater includes details about JVAs.
“We have also provided the historical context on how these joint ventures came to be, including those things na ‘yung possible issues on our Board of Directors,” he said, citing the possible conflict when LWUA was under the Department of Public Works and Highways, under then-secretary Mark Villar.
“Nabigay po namin ang aming recommendations, findings and the ways forward kung papaano natin maiibsan, matatapos itong issues na ito (We have provided our recommendations, findings, and the ways forward on how we can alleviate and end these issues),” Salonga added.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is currently reviewing the LWUA’s report on PrimeWater, following mounting consumers’ complaints against service failures.
LWUA’s submitted report includes a detailed folder and two boxes containing documents related to PrimeWater operations.
Malacañang earlier said the government is ready to take legal steps in response to the findings.
