Ang Pagtuklas sa Tubig ng Tuklas: A Written Output of Group 9

 

More than 300 Residents of Tuklas Street Suffers from the Inadequacy of a Private Company

By: Clark Danielle Galvez, Jon Kairo Santos, Michel Joy Radam

Citizens from Tuklas Street, Mabulo, Bulacan have said that the water they received are inadequate. Water that comes for their supplier, PrimeWater, was short in supply and was dirty. This has led to them begging their local government for movement against the poor water quality they are receiving.

Prime Water is a private company owned by the country's richest and most powerful family, the Villar. It has taken over more than 100 water districts across the Philippines. Prime Water, a prominent water concessionaire, plays a significant role in the daily challenges faced by our fellow citizens.

In Malolos, it's a 25-year contract term—a 2020 joint venture agreement for the financing, development, rehabilitation, expansion, improvement, operation, and maintenance of the water supply and septage system of the City of Malolos Water District.

A GMA news article last August 2021, states "Prime Water Infrastructure Corp. said its joint venture with City of Malolos Water District (CMWD) has brought 24-hour water supply service to more than 40,000 households in Malolos, Bulacan."

They also said that the company acknowledged past water supply challenges in the city, but since the joint venture agreement, more than half of 44 barangays, up from just 4, now have a 24-hour water supply.

This is contrary to the claims and complaints of the residents of Tuklas. Where Prime Water's supply has been their agony long enough to point out.

The water supply which is expected to cater to the needs of entire households often falls short of expectations, delivering nothing more than turbid water when the tap is turned on. The financial burden on the residents is further worsened as they are compelled to seek alternative solutions during water outages. These alternatives often involve the use of motor pumps to extract water, paying neighbors for their water supply, or purchasing from water refilling stations. It is important to note that these additional expenses are incurred over and above the monthly minimum payment charged by Prime Water on every connected household.

In addition to that, there is no prior notice at all given before a water outage. What is even more distressing to the consumer is the scheduled water supply, frequently restored only at midnight, forcing residents to stay awake all night to store water in their containers. If they fail to do so, they bear the burden of the water shortage when the supply runs out again. This has become a cyclical pattern that the residents have grown accustomed to, leaving them feeling helpless despite their frustrations.

This situation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive review and restructuring of the current water supply system. Nevertheless, in the face of their long-standing grievances and numerous attempts to voice their concerns, it appears that their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

This study finds out that the government, which is supposedly responsible for facilitating the water system, has let down its citizens. The issues with Prime Water have been a persistent burden for its consumers, yet it appears they are powerless against the giant names behind this water concessionaire.

Is there hope for the consumers of Prime Water? Or is it time for them to confront the harsh reality that they may be destined to grapple with these water supply issues indefinitely? How long people can bear the burden that Prime Water puts on their shoulders?

Indeed, the journey towards securing basic human rights is far from over. However, the rewarding outcome of steadfast advocacy and refusing to remain silent in the face of current challenges is undoubtedly worth the struggle, regardless of the outcome.

Prime Water has given their participation in the Water Summit 2024 held at Brgy. Bulihan City Hall of Malolos last March, this is insufficient as the problem persists to this day. Prime Water needs to address these issues through a customer-centric approach and develop sustainable solutions that will ensure adequate and safe water security for all. It is not solely within the confines of formal documents or settings that this occurs, but also in a genuine sense, reflecting its actual occurrence or the potential for it to happen.

This serves as a call to action for Prime Water to prioritize the welfare of its consumers and the integrity of its operations. Given that water is a vital resource and a fundamental human right, it is crucial that its management is handled with the utmost level of responsibility and vigilance.

Future research should concentrate on the long-term impacts of policy changes and technological advancements on the operations of water concessionaires. Such studies will be instrumental in guiding policymakers and industry leaders toward a more sustainable and equitable water management system.

Primewater has always been a matter of ridicule in Malolos, Bulacan, specifically in Tuklas Street for its poor service towards those under its wing because of the lack of supply of water and the common complaints of the water flow being weak.

Tuklas citizens that are subscribed under Primewater claimed that this slow and weak flow of water has been a trouble to their community since September 2019, with other citizens began to use electric pumps, and some resorting to crime of stealing water by dislodging their water meters.

It is also mentioned by the citizens that water can only flow through their households faster whenever it is midnight or near dawn, most of them waiting until midnight just to secure a day worth of water supply.

According to Mr. Rony Lamson, a Barangay Tanod, the shortage of water was because of a small tank implanted as the main supply of Tuklas street, he also mentioned that the possible reason why the water is sometimes dirty is due to the fact that the tank is located underground, near a cemetery.

This claim was further supported by the statement of the Barangay Captain IGG. Melencio F. Tamayo, that the main line implanted within Tuklas was indeed a small tank that can only support that community when it was not that big yet.

However, as time went on, the community of Tuklas began to grow in numbers throughout the years and soon enough they found themselves short of supply.

Also according to IGG. Tamayo, there has been a water summit conducted during February this year with Malolos Water District and Primewater going on a joint venture to discuss the shortage of issues within Mabolo and Malolos overall.