The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) met Tuesday to coordinate on the PPP Act, with the PPP Center conducting a short briefing on the salient points of the proposed bill.
According to ULAP Executive Director Aileen B. Leycano, local government executives generally support PPPs for their infrastructure projects and want to see the Republic Act No. 6957, as amended by Republic Act No. 7718, or the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law amended.
PPP Center Executive Director Ma. Cynthia C. Hernandez emphasized that the PPP Act strives to balance the autonomy of local governments to undertake their development strategies and infrastructure agenda with that of the proposed provisions of the Act.
The House of Representatives approved the third and final reading of House Bill No. 6527, or An Act Providing for the Enabling Environment to Foster the Growth of Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure and Other Development Projects, on December 12, 2022.
Meanwhile, Senate Bill No. 1613, or An Act Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes, was filed on December 14, 2022 by Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Joel Villanueva. The Senate version was read on first reading and referred to the Committees on Public Works, Economic Affairs, and Ways and Means and Finance.
