Nayong Pilipino, rail PPP lead approved projects

A TOP socioeconomic body led by President Rodrigo R. Duterte approved last Monday some P270 billion worth of additional key tourism, farm, and transport infrastructure projects aimed at supporting economic growth, a Palace spokesman told reporters yesterday.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto C. Abella said in a text message that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the:

• scaling-up of the Second Cordillera Highlands Agricultural Resources Management Project;

• expansion of the Philippine Rural Development Project;

• widening of General Luis Road (Quezon City to Valenzuela City) Project;

• New Cebu International Container Port Project;

• North- South Railway Project (NSRP)- South Line;

•Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Stage 2;

• and the New Nayong Pilipino at Entertainment City.

Both the P1.47- billion New Nayong Pilipino and the P213.99billion NSRP- South Line, a 653-ki-

lometer railway that includes branch lines that will run between Metro Manila and Legazpi City in Albay, fall under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) program.

The New Nayong Pilipino project, the government’s PPP Center said in a statement yesterday, “is envisioned to be the top-of-mind destination for foreign and local tourists who want to experience what makes our nation and culture unique and more fun.

“The planned cultural theme park of the Department of Tourism and Nayong Pilipino Foundation will be an experiential and creative showcase of the various elements and dimension of the Filipino culture, identities and traditions spanning past and contemporary periods.”

The winning private partner will build, operate and maintain the project for 23 years, inclusive of a three-year construction period.

Also discussed in Monday’s meeting was the “unbundling” of five airport operation, maintenance and development projects in Bacolod, Bohol, Davao, Iloilo and Laguindingan that had already been in procurement phase. There was no immediate explanation for the decision.

Mr. Abella yesterday said the latest approvals bring to 17 the number of infrastructure projects — cumulatively worth some P500 billion — that have bagged final Executive approval since Mr. Duterte assumed office at noon of June 30. In September, the NEDA Board approved: • a P74.56-billion project to upgrade all four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport;

• a P37.8-billion Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit system that, by 2020, will cover 48.6 kilometers of EDSA between the Monumento area and Diosdado Macapagal Avenue/ Roxas Boulevard, with integrated routes between Bonifacio Global City, the Makati Business District and Ortigas Business District;

• P23.5-billion six-year first phase of the Metro Manila Flood Management Project involving rehabilitation of 36 pumping stations and construction of 20 new pumping stations, with housing and resettlement components;

• P10.2- billion Inclusive Partnership for Agricultural Competitiveness project that will link 300,000 farmers and 650 farm organizations in 44 provinces in 14 regions to markets and relevant private enterprises, with focus on copra, organic rice, cacao, cassava, coffee, oil palm, Muscovado sugar, abaca and rubber;

• P8-billion second phase of the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project that involves the acquisition of two heavy weather, high endurance 94- meter Multi- Role Response Vessels — each capable of carrying 500 disaster victims and cruising continuously for 4,000 nautical miles for 15 days at 15 knots — for delivery in November 2020 and March 2021;

• change in scope of the New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project that relocates by June next year the existing domestic Tagbilaran Airport to a new facility of international standards on Panglao Island, with a longer runway and bigger passenger terminal building than earlier planned, increasing total project cost to P7.8 billion from P7.4 billion;

• P4.8-billion increase in Passenger Terminal Building Area of the Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay to be completed in 2020;

• P2.4- billion Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center Modernization Project that will increase the Tacloban City hospital’s capacity to 500 beds from 325 beds currently, to be completed within 30 months of contract award;

• and P2.2-billion Modernization of Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital Project that will increase the Tagbilaran City hospital’s capacity to 500 beds from 225 currently within 24 months.

NEDA Board had then also moved to hasten project approval by reducing maximum project economic hurdle rate to 10% from 15% due to lower cost of domestic and foreign financing; raising cost floor for projects to be approved to P5 billion from P1 billion; streamlining review procedures of the NEDA Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC), which endorses projects for Board approval, for minor project changes; and reducing NEDA Board and ICC membership.

Last Monday, the NEDA Board also approved guidelines for availment of China funding for projects that will result from pledges made during Mr. Duterte’s visit to that country last month. Among others, proponents should hold auctions for “qualified, legitimate and good-standing Chinese consultants/contractors,” the Finance department said in a separate press statement issued yesterday.

Contracts for 13 PPP projects cumulatively worth P357.22 billion have been awarded since the infrastructure program was launched in 2010’s third quarter, right after former president Benigno S. C. Aquino III assumed office. — reports from Reuters and