The ongoing investigation into the bad service of private concessionaire PrimeWater will cover a possible conflict of interest of then Public Works and Highways secretary, now Senator, Mark Villar.
Full story: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/primewater-probe-covers-possible-conflict-dpwh-under-mark-villar/
00:01The ongoing investigation into the bad service of private concessionaire Prime Water will cover a possible conflict of interest of then Public Works and Highway Secretary, now Senator Mark Villar.
00:11Kasi po, there was a time when LUA was under, as an attached agency of DPWH, na possible conflict yung mga namunguno doon in LUA. So let us just expound it when the time comes.
00:24The Local Water Utilities Administration or LUA oversees water districts nationwide.
00:30It entered into nearly 100 joint venture agreements with the Villar-owned Prime Water, especially during the Duterte Administration when Villar was DPWH Secretary.
00:39Prime Water is owned by Mark's brother, Manuel Paulo, and part of the empire of their parents, former Senators Manny and Cynthia Villar.
00:46Malacanang launched an investigation via LUA as a response to mounting consumer complaints about years-long bad service.
00:53In areas like San Jose del Monte Bulacan and Camarines Norte, auditors observed how water districts there were doing well,
00:59but suffered income losses when Prime Water became their joint venture partner.
01:04LUA saw complaints about rusty and foul-smelling water across Luzon, in Quezon, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga, and La Union.
01:11Meantime, Sen. Mark Villar, in a statement, says he has no direct or indirect ownership or controlling interest in Prime Water.
01:18He also says he did not participate in any capacity whatsoever in any transactions between Prime Water and any of its partner districts during his tenure as Public Works Secretary.
