Formulating the Hypothesis
It feels overwhelming to start our legwork for our investigative report. There are many documents and data that we need to obtain, and we are not even sure if we will get what we need. We have to contact many sources to provide both background info and insights on our report. It is easy to get lost if you have no clear direction of where you are heading. This is when crafting a hypothesis becomes important because it serves as a signpost that guides us as we start our research. When we decided to report on PrimeWater’s poor service, we envisioned exploring various facets of the issue. We pondered whether there might be disparities in the quality of water services provided by the company in Villar-owned subdivisions compared to regular residential areas. Consumer groups in Bacolod speculated that PrimeWater has become interested in gaining control over the Bacolod Water District, possibly because the Villar family had plans to develop additional subdivisions in the city. Another intriguing aspect we considered delving into was whether the company’s surname had any influence on the expedited approval of multiple joint venture agreements with local water districts.The Villar family enjoys a close relationship with former President Duterte, and their patriarch, Manny Villar, became the wealthiest Filipino during the previous administration. However, it’s important to note that these connections might be purely speculative at this point, especially since the guidelines for joint venture agreements (JVAs) were only solidified in 2013. It’s plausible that the actual implementation of these guidelines commenced during the Duterte administration, which could explain why many of PrimeWater’s requests were granted starting around that time.
0 Comments