Former Senator Cynthia Villar has pushed back against criticisms directed at PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation, the Villar family-owned water utility company.
Her statement comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to continue investigating water utilities accused of providing allegedly poor public service — with PrimeWater among those flagged.
“Parati naman binibira ang PrimeWater,” Villar said, claiming that her family has been struggling to maintain the company amid what she described as political attacks from the Marcos administration.
She clarified that PrimeWater does not operate nationwide. “Meron lang kami mga bayan na sineserbisyuhan. Hindi lahat,” she noted.
Villar added that some areas have persistent water issues regardless of infrastructure improvements. “Merong mga bayan na talagang may problema sa tubig kahit gawan natin ng water system. Meron pa ring problema—like ‘yung mga matataas na lugar tulad ng San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, meron talagang problema.”
“So hindi lahat ‘yan kasalanan ng nagpo-provide ng tubig,” she stressed.
Villar also revealed that her husband, former Senate President and business tycoon Manny Villar, has considered shutting PrimeWater down.
“Hindi naman kami kumikita ng malaki diyan,” she said. “In fact, gusto nga ni Manny Villar i-dispose na ‘yang PrimeWater kasi ginagamit lang kami sa politika.”