The Manila Times, 22 December 2012
Eight public-private partnership (PPP) projects have been rolled out this year and six of those have received the support of Project Development and Monitoring Fund (PDMF), the Philippine PPP Center said on its yearend report on Friday.
In a press briefing, the PPP Center announced that the eight projects include the PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP) Phase I and Phase 2; Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway Project Phase 2; Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension Operation and Maintenance (O&M); Automatic Fare Collection System; the Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (MPOC); Rehabilitation and O&M of the Angat Hydro-Electric Power Plant (ahepp) Auxiliary Turbines 4 and 5; and the newly rolled out Mactan International Airport (mcia) Terminal Building.
“The game plan was to focus on structuring these projects properly and to successfully bid them out. What is encouraging is the immense interest that we are generating from the private sector to invest in these projects,” PPP Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao
noted.
Earlier this year, the PPP Center awarded two projects: the Daang-Hari South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Link Road Project; and PSIP Phase I.
The PPP Center also stated that six of the eight rolled out projects have received support from the PDMF. Those were the Automatic Fare Collection System, MCIA Terminal Building, MPOC, Rehabilitation and O&M of the AHEPP Auxiliary Turbines 4 and 5, and both phases of the PSIP.
The PDMF provides funding support for the procurement of transaction advisors who are tasked to develop and prepare pre-feasibility, feasibility studies and tender documents for PPP projects, and provide assistance in the bidding process.
The PPP Center provides technical advisory, project facilitation services and capacity building support to implementing agencies and local government units in ensuring that PPP projects are developed and implemented effectively.
More projects
Canilao added that by next year, the center hopes that it could roll out 16 more projects, which include transportation projects such as the Enhanced O&M of the New Bohol (Panglao) Airport; O&M of the Laguindingan Airport; O&M of Puerto Princesa Airport; O&M of LRT Line 2 and Integrated Transport System.
The PPP Center chief continued that there are also road network projects such as Cavite-Laguna Expressway; North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector; and the Rehabilitation of Quirino Highway.
Water projects were also lined up like the New Centennial Water Supply and the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply, as well as for agriculture like the Establishment of Cold Chain Systems Covering Strategic Areas in the Philippines, and the Grains Central Project.
Other projects are the Vaccine Self-Sufficiency Project Phase 2; PSIP Phase 2; and the local government unit projects such as Talisay City Plaza Complex Heritage Restoration and Redevelopment Project; and the El Nido Solid and Liquid Waste Management Facility.
Canilao mentioned that the PPP Center has encouraged local governments to engage in PPP programs by launching the PPP Manual for local units. The manual contains a concise methodology of developing projects under the PPP scheme, offering instruction and guidelines in all aspects of project development and management.
On the other hand, she said that the real challenge for the agency is to continue the momentum of the country’s PPP program and to strengthen the monitoring capacity of the government to ensure that every project implementation would proceed as planned.
“We need to encourage implementing agencies to take on more ambitious projects like the relocation of illegal settlers by providing them housing through PPP and the redevelopment and restoration of some heritage structures like the old Manila,” Canilao added.
