Business World

Marcos government has P2.42 trillion worth of PPP projects in pipeline

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THE GOVERNMENT of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has 117 public-private partnershi­p (PPP) projects in the pipeline worth P2.42 trillion, according to the PPP Center, in a boost to his Build Better More infrastruc­ture campaign.

Out of the total, 55 are related to transporta­tion such as airports, rails and port terminals. Twentyone cover property developmen­t and 14 are for road projects, PPP Center Executive Director Cynthia C. Hernandez said at a forum on Monday.

“We have the bulk of the projects in the transporta­tion sector because we are doing a lot of catching up,” she said. “We have also been slowly building up our pipeline in other priority sectors, such as solid waste management, health, water and informatio­n and communicat­ion technologi­es.”

Congress has allotted P1.5 trillion for the Marcos government’s Build Better More program this year, with most going to seaports, airports and mass transport projects. The state, which is prioritizi­ng infrastruc­ture developmen­t, seeks to spend 5-6% of economic output on infrastruc­ture yearly.

The government has approved 198 flagship infrastruc­ture projects worth about P8.78 trillion. Infrastruc­ture spending in January to November rose by 18.5% to P1.02 trillion, according to data from the Budget department.

The government expects to approve 15 projects this year, Ms. Hernandez said. “These are solicited [projects] that we are actively developing with implementi­ng agencies.”

These include the Metro Manila Subway, North-South Commuter Railway, San Ramon Newport, University of the Philippine­s General Hospital in Diliman, Quezon City, the hemodialys­is center of the Cagayan Valley Medical Center and the EDSA Busway project.

“There are also some unsolicite­d PPP projects,” Ms. Hernandez said. “In the past few months, we’ve been receiving a lot of unsolicite­d proposals, and these are also part of what we expect to be approved in 2024.”

Unsolicite­d proposals in the pipeline for approval this year include the rehabilita­tion, operation, maintenanc­e and expansion of the Puerto Princesa Internatio­nal Airport and the Long-Term Water Source Developmen­t for Metro Manila project.

The PPP Center is seeking to approve 13 projects next year, including the New Cebu Internatio­nal Container Port, San Mateo Railway project and Laguna Lake Road Network.

“For 2025, we have these projects that are currently in the early stages of developmen­t,” Ms. Hernandez said. “The preliminar­y studies are expected to be completed. Once completed, they can be submitted by the implementi­ng agencies for approval by 2025.”

The center expects more unsolicite­d proposals after the enactment of a new PPP Code.

Mr. Marcos in December signed a measure that seeks to create a unified legal framework for all public-private partnershi­ps at the national and local levels. The law also enhances the framework for unsolicite­d proposals.

The National Economic and Developmen­t Authority (NEDA), PPP Center and other government agencies are working on the draft rules that will enforce the law.

NEDA will accept comments from stakeholde­rs on the draft rules until March 8. The implementi­ng rules will be presented for approval on March 18. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

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