Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas has backed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strong remarks on the poor performance of water distributors nationwide.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 28, Marcos revealed that over six million consumer complaints have been filed due to substandard water service.
“Despite all efforts, we continue to receive complaints that water doesn’t even reach their faucets. Over six million consumers are currently affected. I’ve seen the report,” he said.
In a statement, Treñas, who has long raised concerns about water service issues in Iloilo City, welcomed the President’s statement and saw it as a wake-up call to hold water distributors accountable.
She confirmed that the city has an ongoing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project with Aboitiz, which is now at the Swiss challenge stage.
“The most important thing is that there will be no monopoly in water service. This project aims to provide sustainable and reliable water supply for Ilonggos,” Treñas said.
Marcos also assured the public that the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) is now taking decisive action against poorly performing water districts and their private partners.
Earlier this year, Treñas summoned Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW)—the city’s main water distributor—to provide a clear update on their efforts to address mounting complaints from residents.
“We want to hear straight from them what developments and immediate steps they are taking to resolve the issues our people are facing,” she said in a previous statement.
While Treñas acknowledged that MPIW has started major infrastructure projects, she stressed these are still not enough to meet the city’s growing demand.
“MPIW should double time. We cannot afford to wait until 2027 before our people finally feel consistent and sufficient water supply,” she emphasized.IMT
