Business Mirror, 07 August 2013

The Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) Board has approved pre-feasibility studies funding for three public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

The PDMF Board decides on projects that are being proposed to obtain funding from the PDMF, a revolving fund allocated for funding pre-feasibility studies and obtaining project consultants for projects.

The three projects are the Modernization of the National Center for Mental Health project, the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) project, and the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the Laguindingan Airport project.

The modernization of the National Center for Mental Health involves the upgrade of the facilities and equipment used at the center. It will involve the relocation of the center to a 10-hectare property in Cavite and the construction of a new building.

The MVIS project involves the upgrade of the vehicle inspection and registration nationwide. Once completed, all vehicles in the country will have to pass not only emission tests but road worthiness and safety tests.

The project will involve the purchase of equipment or new inspection systems as well as software needed for inspection and registration by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The O&M of Laguindingan Airport, which has already been previously approved by the PDMF for funding, was recently revised to include the construction of a new passenger terminal in the scope of work of the winning bidder.

Under the original scope of work, the Department of Transportation and Communications was tasked to construct a new passenger terminal along with the construction of airside civil works (runways, apron, taxiway, etc.) and air navigational facilities, landside building works, as well as all other facilities as per International Civil Action Organization (Icao) standards.

The PDMF is managed by the PPP Center and currently has a total funding of $80 million. Around $18 million of the funds were extended by the Australian Agency for International Development and Canadian governments, Asian Development Bank and Canadian government, while the $42 million is from national government funds.

The PPP Center has in its complete pipeline 43 projects in varying stages of development. This includes the Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center whose awarding is ongoing as well as six projects that are in the bidding stage and another project, the Rehabilitation, O&M of the Angat Electric power plant  Auxilliary Turbines 4 and 5, which will be submitted for rebidding.

The list includes a project, the North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road, which has already secured National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board approval; the Integrated Transport System Project which is currently being evaluated by the Neda Investment Coordination Committee (ICC); the Civil Registration System-Information Technology Project Phase II which is also currently being evaluated by the Neda-ICC Technical Board; and the Grains Central Project whose structure has recently been finalized and will be submitted for Neda-ICC evaluation.

There are also five projects that are being finalized by specific line agencies of the government; around nine projects that are undergoing their respective feasibility studies; six projects that are currently securing transaction advisers; and 11 projects that are undergoing conceptualization.