The convenor of Water Watch Advocates filed a complaint against Baciwa Prime Water before the Local Water Utilities Administration after he did not receive any reply from the water utility firm concerning various water service related complaints, after almost one month.
According to a press release, Wennie Sancho lodged the complaint against BACIWA Prime Water before LWUA administrator Jose Moises Salonga, after the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City failed to hold a public hearing on the matter, despite repeated requests.
Sancho said it is becoming clear that BACIWA Prime Water is not taking their complaints seriously. In the same manner, the SP of Bacolod City ignored their request for a public hearing on this matter of public welfare.
“It is not only in Bacolod City that an avalanche of complaints were lodged against Prime Water. Overwhelming complaints were filed also in Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Laguna, Quezon, and La Union among others. We are all experiencing the supply of murky brown water with salty and sandy taste,” he said in his statement.
“According to lawyer Eric Malonga, local government units (LGUs) can automatically nullify the water services contracts for any substantial violations committed by the water utility firm. Water supply is most important because people’s survival, health and hygiene must be addressed with continuous potable water supply,” Sancho said.
Water suppliers must comply with strict government requirements in this regard. They should be disengaged from such valuable obligations for their failure to comply, he said.
Sancho said he could not understand why until now, the SP of Bacolod City had not lifted a finger to call for a public hearing. There seems to be foot dragging on the part of the SP members to attend to this matter concerning public welfare, his statement added.*
