Philippine Information Agency, 16 December 2014
MANILA, Dec. 16 — The Philippine Government is set to host the first ASEAN Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Networking Forum from December 16 to 17 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel which will gather members of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC), national coordinators, PPP focal points and officials responsible for infrastructure projects from the ten ASEAN Member States (AMS).
The Forum will provide ASEAN member countries the opportunity to exchange information and share experiences about their PPP programs, establish a network of PPP units among ASEAN member countries and pitch their PPP projects to prospective investors, financing institutions, and development partners.
It will also tackle the proposed ASEAN Guidelines/Principles on PPP that will harmonize policy, institutional, and regulatory frameworks of the AMS and enhance the economic integration competitiveness of the region.
Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso of the Philippine Permanent Mission to ASEAN shared that, “Among the ASEAN member countries, the Philippines is said to be the one with the most advanced PPP legal and administrative structure.”
The Philippines has been ranked highest in terms of PPP readiness in the ASEAN Region in the Infrascope 2011 Study of the Economist Intelligence Unit commissioned by the Asian Development Bank.
“There is room for improvement and we, together with our colleagues in ASEAN, would like to learn the best practices and guidelines of PPP in this workshop, as well as share our experience with our ASEAN neighbors,” added Ambassador Buensuceso.
The Forum is being organized by the Philippine Permanent Mission to ASEAN, with support from the ACCC, the Office of ASEAN Affairs of the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the PPP Center of the Philippines. The Forum is supported by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU (EU ARISE). (DFA)
