President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. clarified that his administration’s moves to take over failing utilities are not motivated by personal conflicts with powerful business families but by the need to ensure reliable water and electricity supply. In his latest podcast aired Tuesday, he addressed the government’s takeover of Siquijor Island Power Corporation (Sipcor), a Villar-owned firm, explaining the decision was to quickly restore electricity after prolonged outages.
“Hindi na tayo puwedeng mag-antay. Kawawa ang tao eh. So sabi ko, kunin na natin, tayo na magpatakbo,” Marcos said, adding that the National Electrification Administration and Department of Energy have since stabilized power in the province.
Regarding water supply issues linked to another Villar-owned company, PrimeWater, Marcos emphasized that politics should not hinder fixing public services. “Nothing is personal. They are friends of mine and I respect them. But we have to fix the problem. People have to have electricity, people have to have water. So whatever the reason is, let’s fix it. Help me fix it,” he said, referring to former senators Manny and Cynthia Villar and their children, incumbent Senators Mark and Camille Villar.
Marcos also noted that politicized management has caused underperformance in some electric cooperatives nationwide. “The electric cooperatives were created with the consumers as members… but when politics came in, the competence level dropped,” he said.
Highlighting the urgency of reforms, he pointed to Metro Manila areas experiencing up to 12 hours without water daily. “Kung anong kailangan kong gawin para magkaroon ng kuryente at tubig, gagawin ko (Whatever I need to do to have electricity and water, I will do it),” Marcos concluded.
