PRESS RELEASE
02 December 2014
The government continuous to encourage international investors to participate in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects of the country. The PPP investment roadshow of the Philippines in Australia gathered several investors, operators, contractors, developers, lenders and fund managers.
The Philippine government, through the Public-Private Partnership Center, Philippine Consulate General, Sydney and Embassy of the Philippines in Canberra with support from the Australian Government through Austrade, successfully conducted two investment fora in Melbourne and Sydney to encourage Australian business groups to invest in the country’s PPP projects.
PPP Investment Forum in Melbourne
The first leg of the government’s Australia investment roadshow was conducted in Melbourne where an estimated 40 participants from public and private sectors attended the PPP forum.
Honorary Consul General Felix Pintado of the Philippine Consulate General in Victoria opened the forum that was held at Hilton on the Park, Melbourne last November 25 stressing the importance of Australia and Philippines bilateral relations.
PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao encouraged the participants to invest in the Philippines’ PPP projects especially that there are eight (8) projects that will be rolled out soon. These projects that will be procured include six airports, one prison facility and a port modernization.
After the investment forum, government representatives: Executive Director Canilao and Deputy Executive Director Sherry Ann Austria of the PPP Center, Honorary Consul General Pintado, and Commercial Consul to Australia and New Zealand Emman Ang had the chance to network with Australian companies present.
Sydney PPP forum
The last stop of the Australia roadshow was the PPP forum in Sofitel Sydney Wentworth last November 27. More than 45 participants attended the event and showed interest in the country’s PPP program.
Companies like Macquarie, Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, DLA Piper, Ashurst Australia, and Siemens and Australian government representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and NSW Trade and Investment graced the forum.
Deputy Executive Director Atty. Sherry Ann Austria presented the initiatives for a sustainable PPP program. She highly emphasized to institutionalize these initiatives to sustain the gains of the Program.
A question and answer session was also conducted that provided a venue for the participants to inquire more about the country’s PPP program and the projects in the pipeline.
After the forum, Executive Director Canilao and Deputy Executive Director Austria also met with PPP players in Australia such as Capella Capital, Allens Linklaters, and Leighton to discuss PPP investment opportunities in the Philippines.
After successful investment roadshows in Europe, Singapore, Japan,and North America that attracted interests from foreign investors, the Australia event is the last international roadshow of the Public-Private Partnership Center for 2014.
