The government has awarded twelve (12) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects and not two (2) as mentioned in the recently concluded Commission on Elections’ Pilipinas Debate 2016 held at Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City.

Since 2010, the various implementing agencies (IAs) namely the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Education (DepEd) and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) have awarded twelve (12) PPP contracts to the private partners, more than the combined six solicited projects awarded during the past three administrations.

Three (3) of these twelve (12) awarded PPP projects have already been completed:

  1. DPWH’s Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), or Daang Hari-SLEX Link Road – PhP 2.23 billion;
  2. DOTC’s Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) – PhP 1.72 billion; and
  3. DepEd’s PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP) Phase I – PhP 9.89 billion

The MCX started its operation last July 24, 2015. Through the use of MCX, the trip from Cavite to South Luzon Expressway is shortened by forty-five (45) minutes. It also helps ease traffic in Cavite, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa area.

Over 400,000 students from Region I, III and IV-A are also now benefitting from the PSIP Phase I classrooms that were completed and delivered last December 04, 2015.

LRT 1, LRT 2 & MRT 3 users now enjoy seamless, faster transfer in train lines using the stored-value card (beep™) made possible by the AFCS. This project has achieved its full system acceptance last December 16, 2015 after the successful three-month trial that started last July of the same year.

Meanwhile, the operation and maintenance of LRT Line 1, one of the awarded PPP projects, has been turned over to the private partner last September 11, 2015. Light Rail Manila Corporation has started soft renovation and upgrades of the LRT Line 1 existing system and the pre-construction activities for the extension from Baclaran to the future Niyog station in Bacoor, Cavite. The extension will help spur economic growth in Cavite.

The PhP 17.52 billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Project, which was recently recognized by Thomson Reuter’s Project Finance International as Best Transport Deal in Asia-Pacific, is now being operated and maintained by GMR Infrastructure and Megawide Consortium that started last November 1, 2014. A concrete pouring ceremony for MCIA Terminal 2 led by DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya with the executives of the private partner was conducted last January 22 this year. The Terminal 2 is scheduled to be completed in February 2018.

DepEd and the private partner have also completed more than 1,800 classrooms in Region I, II, III, X, Cordillera Administrative Region and CARAGA through the Phase II of the PSIP project. Over 190,000 students are expected to benefit from this PPP project in the mentioned areas.

The construction of DPWH’s NAIA Expressway Project goes full blast with overall completion rate of 66% as of February 2016. Expected to be completed in April 2016, the project aims to provide easy access to and from the three (3) NAIA terminals and link to the Skyway and Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway.

The rest of the awarded projects have the following status:

  1. DOTC’s Southwest Integrated Transport System (ITS) awarded to MWM Terminals last January 21, 2015 and the contract was signed last April 24, 2015.
  2. DPWH’s Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAx) was awarded to MPCALA Holdings, Inc. last June 8, 2015 and the contract was signed last July 10, 2015.
  3. DOTC’s South ITS was awarded to Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) last November 13, 2015 and the contract was signed on January 26, 2016.
  4. MWSS’ Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project was awarded to SMC-K Water Consortium last December 7, 2015 and the contract signed last January 15, 2016.

Today, the government is currently bidding out 14 PPP projects which include 5 regional airports, a prison facility, a port modernization and water project, expressway dike, 2 information technology (IT) projects, and 3 rail projects. These projects under procurement have total estimated value of PhP 556.56 billion.