Bacolod City, July 29 -- A staunch consumer welfare advocate here has lauded the statement of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on the government's firm action against those responsible for the poor delivery of water service, including in this highly urbanized city.

"I commend the President's statement highlighting the dismal state of water services in the Philippines. We believe that this acknowledgement is a crucial step towards addressing the long-standing issues plaguing the water sector," Water Watch Advocates convenor Wennie Sancho said in a statement on Tuesday.

In his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Marcos said he had personally reviewed the report from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), showing the pervasi...