Source: Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Finance (DoF) said that the Aquino administration is on track with its plan to bid out 10 infrastructure projects this year as part of its Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) initiative.
Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said in a televised interview with ANC that the first project under PPP is on stream already and by July the government would probably be ready to announce the winner.
“By the time the President gives his [state-of-the-nation address], I think, about five projects will be on stream already. By the end of the year, I think, the 10 projects would have been started already,” Purisima said.
“In fact, we’re already looking at the next 10 projects for next year,” he added.
Inter-agency Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) earlier gave the green light for the Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) link road project, which is first among the three projects that need to be approved by the body.
The National Economic and Development Authority is looking at five projects to be bidded out within the first semester of the year.
The other two projects that have yet to be approved by ICC are the $235.33 million worth Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Phase II and the $477 million worth North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector.
However, the two PPP projects, namely the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 operation and maintenance (O&M) and $171.11 million worth privatization of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 O&M no longer required ICC approval.
Purisima, meanwhile, said there was a shift from the focus on unsolicited to solicited.
“The difference is, with solicited; it is the government that will have to do the feasibility studies. In some cases, the studies have been done but needed to be updated. In others, it has not started at all. And since we’re doing several projects in one department, it has stretched the capacity of the departments in terms of sustaining these projects,” he explained.
