Request for Clarification on PrimeWater Concession Arrangement, Reported Change in Ownership, and Regulatory Compliance

Tacloban — Summary

PH Haiyan Advocacy, Inc. has formally written both the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) and the Office of Alfred S. Romualdez, raising serious governance, transparency, and consumer protection concerns following reports that PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation has been acquired by the Lucio Co Group. The letters, dated 16 February 2026 (to LMWD) and 18 February 2026 (to the Mayor), seek clarification on the legal, financial, environmental, and contractual implications of the reported ownership transition. Copies of the official communications are available via the attached PDF.

Why This Matters to Tacloban Consumers

LMWD operates as a statutory monopoly public utility under Presidential Decree No. 198. While operational management may be delegated through concession or joint venture arrangements, public accountability remains with LMWD and its Board of Directors. When a concessionaire undergoes a corporate acquisition, legitimate public-interest questions arise about notification, Board consent, audits, environmental compliance, and rate governance.

Key Issues Raised in the Letters

1. Governance and Oversight: Whether the Mayor’s Office and LMWD Board were formally informed and whether consultation or approvals occurred prior to the ownership transition.
2. Performance and Audit Transparency: Requests for Annual Performance Audit reports, documentation of capital expenditure commitments, Board resolutions, and measurable service improvements.
3. Wastewater and Environmental Compliance: Clarification on wastewater facilities, discharge permits, compliance monitoring, and septage management implementation.
4. Rate Adjustments and Regulatory Approval: Whether rate changes were supported by Board resolutions and filed with the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), and whether consumers were properly informed.

Call for Stronger Governance Safeguards

• Mandatory publication of Annual Performance Audit reports;
• Transparent disclosure of capital expenditure funding sources;
• Public reporting of wastewater implementation status;
• Structured public consultation before any material ownership transition;
• Periodic governance review of Board performance.

Moving Forward — PH Haiyan Advocacy, Inc. awaits written responses from both LMWD and the Office of the City Mayor within the period prescribed under Republic Act No. 6713. Transparency strengthens trust. Clear disclosure protects consumers. Good governance ensures sustainability.