Manila Water Co., the utility controlled by billionaire Enrique Razon Jr., is evaluating a potential expansion into San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, following the exit of PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. from the city.

Roberto R. Locsin, Manila Water president and chief executive officer said during an investor briefing on Thursday, May 14, that the company is monitoring the situation as the local government seeks a new service provider.

The city recently assumed authority over its water and wastewater facilities after a period of supply instability led to the termination of the previous joint venture.

“At this point, we are evaluating the current status of PrimeWater and Pamana Water Corp. as they complete their transaction,” Locsin said.

The transition follows the divestment of the Villar group’s stake in PrimeWater to Lucio Co, the retail tycoon who owns Crystal Bridges Holding Corp. and Pamana Water. PrimeWater ended its services in San Jose del Monte in late 2025 after facing local criticism over service reliability.

The city government’s move to find a new partner comes after it formally took control of the local infrastructure earlier this month. For Manila Water, any entry into the Bulacan market must align with its strategy of targeted, profitable growth.

Locsin said Manila Water is not pursuing expansion for the sake of scale alone but is focusing on projects that provide clear financial returns.

“Any business pursuit Manila Water goes into, whether east or non-east zone, must be accretive to the enterprise,” Locsin said. “We don’t have to be everywhere to make it work, but we want to be in places where we know we can deliver accretive value to our shareholders.”

The potential expansion follows a strong financial opening for the year. Manila Water reported a consolidated net income of ₱4.8 billion for the first quarter of 2026.

During the same period, the company deployed ₱2.8 billion in capital investments to bolster water security and system reliability.

To mitigate the impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon, the utility is diversifying its water sources and upgrading treatment capacities. These preparations include the activation of deep wells and mobile delivery systems to ensure supply continuity.

Manila Water expects to augment its service area with an additional 400 million liters per day by the second quarter.

The increase will be driven by the completion of two major infrastructure projects, the Wawa and East Bay 2 treatment plants, which are designed to reduce reliance on traditional water sources and improve long-term resilience.