House lawmakers seek probe on poor water supply service, high rates in Bacolod City
LAWMAKERS on Thursday filed a resolution seeking to investigate the joint venture agreement between Bacolod City’s water district and a private company, questioning the poor water supply service to consumers and labor issues.
The three-person opposition coalition filed House Resolution No. 909 urging a probe on the partnership between Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. following complaints on “poor water service” and the displacement of employees.
The 25-year joint venture agreement — which began on June 17, 2020 — was “opposed by the residents of Bacolod City and consumers of BACIWA,” according to the resolution.
“There were numerous complaints about water services tainted with color, mud, and sand particles, as well as the unpredictable availability of supply in some areas of Bacolod,” the lawmakers said in the resolution.
The resolution also indicated that after the joint venture agreement, PrimeWater retained only 45 out of BACIWA’s 474 employees. “The rest were illegally separated or availed themselves of the early retirement package,” it said.
The Commission on Audit said in its 2020 annual financial report that BACIWA ranked 6th in terms of total income and total comprehensive income among all water districts in the Philippines.
State auditors also said that the BACIWA incurred a net income loss of P33.34 million in 2021.
“Congress must initiate legislative measures to reverse water privatization, improve water access and services to the people, and save the public from the profiteering of big private companies,” the lawmakers said.
The coalition is composed of Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France L. Castro, Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel.
BACIWA and PrimeWater have yet to reply to e-mails seeking comments. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
