Senator Mark Villar has firmly denied any involvement in the joint venture agreements (JVAs) between PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. and various local water districts while he led the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In a statement released Saturday, Villar emphasized that he holds no direct or indirect ownership or controlling interest in PrimeWater—a company owned by his family.
“During my time as DPWH Secretary, I had no role, direct or otherwise, in any dealings between PrimeWater and local water districts,” he said. “My focus was solely on building critical infrastructure for communities.”
Villar headed the DPWH from 2016 to 2021 under the Duterte administration, stepping down to run for Senate in the 2022 elections.
His statement comes in response to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro’s remarks that PrimeWater’s JVAs surged in 2019, a time when DPWH still had oversight over the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). Castro also confirmed that the Office of the President recently met with LWUA and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel to address mounting consumer concerns.
LWUA Administrator Jose Moises Salonga said the agency has completed its initial investigation and submitted its findings to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The report is tied to growing complaints about PrimeWater’s services and potential conflicts involving past DPWH leadership.
The House of Representatives has also filed a resolution to probe the water provider’s JVAs. PrimeWater has stated it is open to cooperation and dialogue with LWUA to resolve service issues.