Source: Philippine Information Agency, 28 March 2012
ILOILO CITY, Mar 28 (PIA6) — Public-private partnership has helped local government units (LGUs) in the country realize major infrastructure or development projects that resulted in the efficient delivery of services and creation of more job and livelihood opportunities.
Examples of the success of this collaborative effort are the Koronadal City Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Project of Koronadal City in South Cotabato, Mandaluyong Public Market in Mandaluyong City, and the Cogon/Carmen Public Market of Cagayan de Oro City.
The success stories and how these projects of said LGUs were realized through the help of the private sector were shared by their respective officials at the LGU Public-Private Partnership Forum for Visayas and Mindanao Regions held March 26 at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center here.
Lawyer Ernesto Santos of the Mandaluyong City government said their local government unit was in a quandary on how to have a public market again after it was razed by fire in 1990.
With the help of a private developer and a funding of P100 million, however, a new market and one with modern facilities and amenities soon rose through the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme, the forerunner of the PPP of the Aquino government.
Mayor Peter B. Miguel of South Cotabato’s capital city said their ICT project had long been planned out but could not take off due to technical constraints. They were looking for a group that would aid them put the project in place.
And following the line of experience of Mandaluyong City, a private company named Geodata Solutions Inc. came into the picture and helped Koronadal City develop and install the ICT project with all the computerized and technological systems needed, which later enabled the city government enhance revenue collections, streamline business licensing processes, and improve other data-based services that now redound to the efficient operations of the City Hall and better serviced for the business sector and the entire populace as well.
The Cogon and Carmen public markets in Cagayan de Oro had for years looked like ordinary centers of trade and commerce, lacking some facilities that were a source of inconvenience and annoyance to marketgoers.
Enough of it, resolved the city government, as recounted by Estrella Sagaral of the city government. Helped by the private sector, the city soon became the proud owner of two modern public markets, plus additional elbow room to build an agora and another public facility.
Nevertheless, the city has found the two major projects enough proof that public-private partnership works.
The said projects are concrete proofs of how the PPP program works and its benefits. More projects are being pursued in the country through this scheme.
In Western Visayas, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 6 considers the Caticlan Airport Development Project in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan as the first PPP project in the region.
The development of the airport by a private company, TransAire Development Holdings Corporation has transformed the facility into what is now a modern airport with state-of-the-art facilities and a fitting gateway to Boaracay Island, one of the country’s major tourist destinations.
The second component of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project-Stage II in Iloilo is another PPP project lined up in the region to cover potable water supply and power development. The first component, which was just approved by the NEDA Board, is funded by Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the Korean government with Philippine government counterpart.
The positive impact and advantages that public-private partnership can do has prompted the Aquino government to adopt it as a major program dubbed Public-Private Partnership with an agency, the Public-Private Partnership Center headed by Executive Director Cosette Canilao to take care of facilitating, coordinating and monitoring the implementation of PP projects in the country, whether by LGUs or national government agencies.
The PPP Program is a flagship program of the government primarily designed to help accelerate the country’s infrastructure program in line with the President’s Social Contract and the Philippine Development Plan and its inclusive growth agenda.
The Visayas-Mindanao PPP forum served as a venue to showcase the PPP success stories, launch the PPP Manual for use of LGUs and update LGU officials on the program. The activity was organized by the PPP Center with the support of NEDA, British Embassy of Manila, and other institutional partners. (JCM/JSC/PIA6)
