Water for the People Network (WPN) expressed concern over Manuel Villar’s sale of PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. to Lucio Co. The group said this will only worsen the company’s water service.

The Villars announced Co’s acquisition of PrimeWater this December. Co owns the Puregold supermarket chain. He also owns Pamana Water Corporation, which has 15 joint venture agreements (JVA) with local water districts in Tarlac, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija. Like PrimeWater, Pamana is notorious for poor service and high fees. Consumers have filed complaints against the company over weak or nearly nonexistent water supply in Nueva Ecija, murky or yellow water in Tarlac, and the relentless increase in service fees in Pangasinan.

The secret sale occured after the series of investigations into PrimeWater sparked by growing public outrage over its poor and overpriced service. The company has 77 JVAs with local water districts nationwide.

“The transfer of PrimeWater from one oligarch to another…does not change the fact that consumers continue to suffer from high water rates, unreliable supply, and dismal services,” WPN spokesperson Leo Espelimbergo explained.

“The sale of PrimeWater also does not absolve the Villars from accountability for years of poor service. Consumers deserve compensation through bill moratoriums, refunds, and other forms of redress for the damages they have endured,” Espelimbergo added.

According to the group, the business’ sale exposes the US-Marcos regime’s inaction and incompetence in holding PrimeWater accountable. To this day, the company has done nothing to improve water service despite ongoing investigations. The sale only perpetuates privatization and the violations of JVAs and consumer rights.

WPN stated that the Public-Private Partnership law and previous privatization policies have allowed corporations to amass excessive profits from a social service. These enabled steep increases in service fees, while consumers received poor and substandard infrastructure and service.

“The government should stop allowing large businesses to turn public services into profit-making ventures,” Espelimbergo urged.

WPN called for the immediate return of water service to local water districts, the termination of irregular JVAs, and the end of water service privatization. The group also expressed solidarity with all consumers and local governments striving to regain control over their water districts.