Fifteen (15) National Economic and Development Authority Regional Offices (NRO) convened and shared their insights in supporting PPP projects across their localities during the NRO PPP Congress on September 27-28, 2021.

The NRO PPP Congress is an annual activity of the PPP Center that aims to enhance the skills and know-how of PPP Knowledge Corner Focal Persons in the NROs, as well as provide an avenue for sharing PPP experiences from the different regions.

Many of the innovative practices shared were established in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted travel and face-to-face meetings. Among these include the provision of online capacity building activities for PPP Knowledge Corner focal persons which have equipped participants with needed competencies to better attend to client queries on PPPs and serve as resource persons for PPP-related activities. Another is the establishment of a virtual Knowledge Corner (PPP-vKC) to provide easier access for local implementing agencies to information and knowledge products.

The NROs also recognized the willingness of the PPP Center to provide technical support during NRO-led online discussions held to plan and conceptualize regional infrastructure projects.

In turn, the PPP Center expressed its gratitude to the NROs and committed to develop tools and services to support the development of regional PPP projects.

Additionally, the PPP Center presented its initiatives for local implementing agencies, such as updates to its Local PPP Strategy; Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) support for local PPPs; new policies and issuances related to local PPPs; the latest knowledge products to be distributed to the PPP Knowledge Corners; and the upcoming launch of the PPP Center’s E-learning modules on the Philippine PPP program.

The NRO PPP Knowledge Corners initiative is a collaboration between the PPP Center and the NROs to serve as an information hub where interested parties can get accurate and updated information on PPPs, as well as an access point to the PPP Center’s services. The PPP Knowledge Corners are lodged at the NROs to facilitate alignment of local PPPs with regional priorities and plans spearheaded by the NROs and the Regional Development Council.