So here we go again — another day, another bucket, another grand speech from someone who showers in places we can't even spell. Welcome to Cavite, the land where faucets cry tears of air and residents have learned the ancient art of sahod sa ulan just to survive. And who do we have to thank for this modern-day marvel of inconvenience? None other than PrimeWater, the poster child of privatized suffering.
According to a deep dive by Rappler’s Dwight de Leon (bless him for wading through those state audit reports), the water districts of Dasmariñas, Silang, Trece Martires, and Tagaytay have one thing in common — and no, it’s not just picturesque views or good lechon. It’s systemic, chronic, soul-sucking water problems, all under the graceful management of PrimeWater. The same PrimeWater that somehow manages to bill you for services it forgets to deliver. It's like subscribing to Netflix and only getting the buffering screen — for three years straight.

But wait, there’s more. These lapses aren’t just bad plumbing — they’re now officially election issues. Because PrimeWater isn’t just any water utility. It’s a family business. The Villars — yes, those Villars — own it. And wouldn’t you know it? One of them is once again running a national campaign, standing on stage promising “serbisyong totoo” while entire cities in Cavite can’t even flush their toilets.
How poetic.

Imagine this: you’re in Silang, you wake up at dawn, not for your early jog or taho, but to check if the faucet will grace you with a few seconds of sputtering. If you're lucky, you fill a pail. If not, well — there’s always bottled water, right? If you can afford it. Meanwhile, the folks behind your misery are posting campaign selfies in crystal-clear hotel bathrooms, boasting about “uplifting lives.” Whose lives? Theirs?

These aren’t isolated hiccups. De Leon’s findings show audit after audit pointing to the same problems: poor service, inadequate infrastructure, and yet — miraculously — uninterrupted billing. The only thing “prime” about PrimeWater seems to be its ability to profit from neglect.

Let’s be clear: water is not a luxury. It’s not something you earn with good behavior or a Villar-branded loyalty card. It’s a human right. Yet here we are, years into this parched partnership, still asking the same question: Why do we keep voting for people who make us boil water just to bathe?

Because the Villars don’t just control malls and condos — they’ve mastered the art of controlling narratives. They show up with clean smiles, point to housing projects, and hope you forget that your kitchen faucet is more decorative than functional. They distract with big promises, hoping we’re too busy filling water jugs to notice the drought they’ve engineered.

Well, maybe it’s time we stop getting distracted.
Come May 2025, when you see the campaign ads roll out like a prime-time teleserye — dramatic music, smiling faces, teary-eyed testimonials — remember: those aren’t just actors. They’re architects of this water crisis, repackaged as saviors.
So unless you enjoy playing Tubig or No Tubig every morning, maybe vote for someone who doesn’t treat essential utilities like a business empire. Maybe choose leaders who won’t trade your basic needs for political gains.
Because in this country, we’ve suffered enough from pabola. What we need now isn’t another promise. It’s pressure — from our faucets and from our votes.
#TubigMunaBagoTrapo
#PrimeWalangTubig
#BumotoNangMayTubig
For your comments or suggestions, complaints or requests, just send a message through my email at fmesj@yahoo.com or text me at cellphone number-+14086345931