Senator Raffy Tulfo disclosed Thursday that a “barrage of complaints” continues to pour into his office from consumers of the former PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp., despite the company’s recent ownership change and corporate rebranding as Hiraya Water Corporation.
During the Senate Committee on Public Services inquiry into joint venture agreements between local water districts and private firms, Tulfo made it clear that the corporate makeover would not shield the company from legislative scrutiny.
“PrimeWater has a new owner but complaints are still piling up. There will be no let up on this as long as there are consumers waiting for solutions,” Tulfo warned, speaking partly in Filipino.
The utility firm was acquired by Crystal Bridges on December 12, 2025, a transaction that received formal approval from the Philippine Competition Commission on April 7, 2026. Shortly after, on June 10, the company officially rebranded to Hiraya Water Corporation and relocated its principal office.
Pointing out the symbolic meaning of the firm’s new brand, the senator noted, “Hiraya represents hope. And that is one of the aspirations of its many consumers — hope that they will have an efficient water supply service.”
However, Tulfo stressed that taking over a company requires accepting its full liabilities, not just harvesting its revenues. He emphasized that acquiring an enterprise means inheriting its existing contracts, outstanding debts, pending legal cases and unfinished commitments to the public.
The senator said consumers in various coverage areas continue to endure persistent service disruptions that originated under PrimeWater’s management. In San Jose del Monte, Bulacan alone, more than 250,000 residents are reportedly suffering from inadequate water supply, while consumers across Batangas continue to report severe service deficiencies under Hiraya’s current operations.
Adding to the controversy, Tulfo flagged administrative confusion surrounding the company’s new identity. He questioned why the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the corporate name “Hiraya Water Corporation,” given that an unrelated utility named “Hiraya Water” was already registered and active in the water sector.
This structural overlap, the lawmaker noted, has led frustrated consumers to mistakenly file their complaints against the original Hiraya Water entity rather than the rebranded firm.
Tulfo called on the SEC to examine the corporate naming conflict and consider revoking Hiraya Water Corp.’s registered name, urging the agency to require a name change to spare the original entity from further misdirected public backlash.