Canadian Embassy lauds Canilao PPP leadership
The Canadian Embassy is trumpeting the gains of the Philippines’ public- private partnership ( PPP) program, citing its contribution to opening more investment opportunities for foreign companies.
In a letter to outgoing PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao dated Feb. 23, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder praised Canilao for her leadership of the agency for infrastructure development.
Canilao is leaving her post as PPP chief effective March 8, to attend to family concerns.
Through Canilao’s leadership of the PPP Center, Reeder said, the technical assistance provided by the Canadian government with the Asian Development Bank and Australia has created an enabling policy, legal and institutional environment for a healthy pipeline of well-prepared and bankable projects under the PPP program.
“This has increased the opportunities for foreign companies, including Canadian companies that take an interest in the Philippines’ infrastructure program,” he said.
By getting the private sector on board to address infrastructure needs, the Philippine PPP program is now considered a model for infrastructure development in the region.
Launched in 2010, the PPP program is being implemented to build infrastructure projects to address the needs of the growing population.
The government needs the private sector as a partner in infrastructure development given its limited fiscal space.
Since the program’s launch, a total of 12 projects valued at over P200 billion have been awarded under the scheme.
The 12 awarded projects are the Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) Link Road (Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway) Project; PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP) – Phase I; Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Project (Phase II); PSIP – Phase II; Modernization of Philippine Orthopedic Center; Automatic Fare Collection System; Mactan- Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building; Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension and Operation & Maintenance; Southwest Integrated Transport System ( ITS) Project; Cavite- Laguna Expressway; South ITS Project; and Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project.