Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda couldn’t help but agree with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s remarks during the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting wherein the latter stressed the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the country’s economic recovery.
“I thank President Marcos for boosting PPPs as a national priority. The innovation, flexibility, expertise, experience, and access to capital of the private sector should combine with the exclusive resources and powers of the State to produce better public goods for the people,” Salceda said in a statement Friday, Nov. 18.
Salceda is the principal author and sponsor of the new PPP law, a Marcos administration priority that the House Committee on Public Works approved Thursday, Nov. 17.
In his remarks at the APEC meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, Marcos reckoned that strengthening the partnerships between the government and the private sector is the “centerpiece” of the Philippines’ economic transformation bid.
“President Marcos is also correct to say that PPPs should extend towards healthcare, food security, and other social needs other than infrastructure,” added Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Salceda says he hopes that with the enactment of the new PPP Law, it will become enshrined in national policy to deliver social services through a “healthy mix of PPPs and government-funded programs”.
“The House will be able to approve the measure before it adjourns on Dec. 17,” he said.
“This is a priority of the House leadership. There was consensus in the House committee, and we are working with the DOF (Department of Finance), the PPP Center, and other agencies to iron out the details,” Salceda said.
Published November 18, 2022, 2:53 PM
by Ellson Quismorio
