Source: Philippine Star
By Iris C. Gonzales
March 26, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima will lead a government team to China to entice investors to the Aquino administration’s public-private partnership program.

“We’ll be asking investors to look into PPP projects. We’re eyeing China investors,” Purisima said yesterday.

As such, the Finance chief is scheduled to lead a six-man delegation on April 10 for a road show in China. Other Cabinet officials expected to be part of the delegation include Socioeconomic Planning Secretar Cayetano Paderanga Jr. and Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus.

Early this month, the government has already launched the initial five infrastructure projects with a total amount of roughly P47.1 billion under the PPP program.

Under the PPP scheme, the government would be tapping the help of the private sector to fund the different projects.

The five projects are: the P1.6-billion Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Link Road Project; the P10.59-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway Phase II Project; the P7.7 -billion Privatization of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 Operation and Maintenance Project; the P6.3-billion Privatization of MRT 3 Operation and Maintenance Project and the ambitious P21-billion NLEX-SLEX Connector Project.

During the launch, President Aquino said the first batch of PPP projects would bode well for the economy.

“These projects will undoubtedly further stimulate our economy, which has already experienced unprecedented success in recent months. And with an estimated investment of more than a billion dollars lined up for bidding, these projects give us more reason to be optimistic: we can expect thousands of jobs for our people, growth in our economy, and long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with large corporations,” Aquino said.

The P1.6-billion Daang Hari – Slex Link Road Project is a new 3.68-kilometer, four lane road that will pass through the New Bilibid Prison. It will connect Bacoor, Cavite to the South Luzon Expressway near the Susana Heights area.

According to data from the Department of Finance, the proposed linkage will complement the Cavite-Laguna-east-west highway and will address the requirement for additional access between Metro Manila and Cavite where rapid urbanization and consequent worsening of traffic situation is being experienced.

The P10.59-billion NAIA Expressway Phase II Project involves the construction of the Skyway and Manila-Cavite Coastal Expressway. It aims to provide vital access to NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

The P7.7-billion privatization of LRT 1 Operation and Maintenance, meanwhile, aims to integrate LRT-1 operation and maintenance to a private sector service provider during the interim period of three to four years. After this, the LRT Line 1 South Extension Project contractor is expected to assume overall responsibility for the integrated LRT Line 1 and MRT Line 3 systems.

A similar project is the P6.3-billion privatization of MRT 3. This project aims to integrate MRT Line 3 operation and maintenance to a private sector service provider during the interim period of three to four years.

Of the five projects in the initial list, the one with the highest cost is the NLEX-SLEX Connector which amounts to P21 billion.

The project involves the construction of a 13.4- kilometer, four lane elevated expressed way over the Philippine National Railway right-of-way which will run from Caloocan to Makati.

“The project, which is elevated over PNR right-of-way, aims to close the gap and complete the north-south Luzon industrial beltway transport axis by connecting NLEX and SLEX. The project will contribute to decongest Metro Manila traffic, particularly EDSA,” a briefer of the project showed.

The project also aims to provide 24-hour access to Manila ports by providing faster, safer and comfortable means of transport facility.