The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center and the Ateneo de Manila University through the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to institutionalize their cooperation for the expansion of PPPs and infrastructure development through research, education, and capacity building.
PPP Center Executive Director Ferdinand A. Pecson and Dr. John Paul C. Vergara, Vice President of the Ateneo Professional Schools signed the agreement that will help the Philippine PPP program capture related knowledge and build expertise for its practitioners.
In his message, Executive Director Pecson expressed that the partnership with the Ateneo School of Government is timely particularly as the country continues to depend heavily on various infrastructures to provide the means for sustained and inclusive economic growth. “Therefore, it is necessary to build the capacities, of both the public and the private sector, to pursue infrastructure projects through the different modes available including public-private partnerships,” the PPP Center chief said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Vergara underscored the role of the private sector as a crucial component of the government’s Build, Build, Build program. “With the government embarking on enhancing such a program to stimulate the economy, particularly during the post-pandemic period, there is a need to review documents, and communicate best practices and lessons learned from actual PPP projects, through research papers, policy notes, case studies, training materials, as well as academic materials and training programs,” he said.
Dr. Vergara notes that with the combined expertise of both institutions, the MOU will help bridge and merge PPP theories with actual evidence, creating a body of knowledge on PPPs captured in various knowledge products and different learning tools. This anthology of PPP modules and experiences can help both local and international PPP practitioners better implement and manage their PPP programs.
“We look forward to the contributions of this collaboration to the uplifting of the capacities of the public and the private sector to provide the country with people-oriented, sustainable, cost-efficient, and quality infrastructure,” Dr. Vegara added.
Mr. Eleazar E. Ricote, Deputy Executive Director, Public-Private Partnership Center, and Dr. Ronald U. Mendoza, Dean, Ateneo School of Government witnessed the online ceremonial signing.
