Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Thursday questioned Hiraya Water Corporation over its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings that listed restaurants, parlors, beer houses and snack bars as its nature of business despite its operation of water utilities.
Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, asked Hiraya President Jose Paulino Santamarina about the company’s corporate records.
‘According to your SEC records, ang nature of business ninyo ay beer house and beauty parlor. So kung expert kayo sa pagpapatakbo ng mga GRO, mamasan, beauty parlor, paano pa kaya itong patubig?’ Tulfo said during Thursday’s hearing.
(According to your SEC records, your nature of business are beer houses and beauty parlors. So if you’re an expert in operating GROs, pimps, and beauty parlors, how will you be able to handle water concerns?)
Santamarina said he was unaware of the discrepancy and that he would have to check the company’s SEC filings with its legal counsel.
Tulfo said Santamarina, as president of the company, should have been aware of the contents of its SEC filing.
‘I apologize po. Ang alam ko lang po, nagbago na ang management at bagong direksyon at bago na ang investment para po sa Prime. Kailangan naming palitan dahil nagbago na po lahat. Hindi ko alam na ganito ‘yung finile,’ Santamarina said.
(I apologize. All I know is that the management has changed, and there is a new direction and new investment for Prime. We needed to change it because everything had changed. I did not know that this was what had been filed)
Page 2 says otherwise
According to Santamarina, the company’s primary purpose is establishing, maintaining, operating, managing or administering and supervising a waterworks system, including authority to own and operate drilling rigs, machinery, pumps and other equipment necessary for the operation.
SEC Representative lawyer Ria Alexandra Castillo later clarified that the company’s latest General Information Sheet (GIS), filed on May 29, 2026, reflected waterworks as its primary purpose.
On the second page, however, under the description of the nature of business, the filing listed ‘restaurants, refreshment centers, parlors, bars, beer houses, snack bars, fast-food centers, and other similar establishment.’
‘Maybe it’s an oversight on your part?’ Tulfo asked the SEC.
Castillo then said they will further validate the matter.
The exchange came amid the committee’s broader inquiry into the transition from PrimeWater to Hiraya Water Corporation, including the company’s service obligations, capital expenditures and contracts with local water districts.
SEC asked to look into Hiraya Water name
Meanwhile, Tulfo also raised concerns over Hiraya Water Corporation’s registered name, which was causing confusion with a tech company also using the ‘Hiraya Water’ name.
Hiraya Technology Solutions, Inc., a smart water management company, is registered with the SEC as ‘Hiraya Water.’
The tech company’s CEO, Stephen Larcia, told the Senate panel that the similarity in names had resulted in consumers mistakenly sending complaints intended for Hiraya Water Corporation to their tech company.
This, he said, was causing problems for their company, particularly with its after-sales and customer-related concerns.
Tulfo then instructed the SEC to look into the possibility of requiring Hiraya Water Corporation to change its corporate name, or taking other appropriate action, to prevent further confusion.
Castillo supported Tulfo’s position.