Gov’t plans 15 PPP projects worth over $14 B

MANILA, Philippines - The government plans to rollout 15 projects under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) program with a total cost of  over $14 billion, from now until the first quarter of next year.

“The 15 projects are what we think we can rollout in the next 12 months,” PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippines-France Conference held yesterday.

She revealed that the government intends to issue the request for qualifications or the start of bidding process  for the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project ($542.22 million) and the Integrated Transport System Southwest Terminal ($115.56 million) by May.

The government likewise wants to start the bidding for six airport projects by June. These are the Laguindingan Airport operation and maintenance (O&M) ($354 million), New Bohol (Panglao) Airport O&M ($52 million), Puerto Princesa Airport O&M ($71.13 million),Davao Airport O&M ($476.39 million), Bacolod Airport O&M ($208.98 million), and Iloilo Airport O&M ($322.34 million).

The issuance of request for qualification for the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike project, with a cost of $1.44 billion, is slated for either June or July.

The Motor Vehicle Inspection project ($313.16 million) would be rolled out by the third quarter, while the bidding for the Mass Transit System Loop ($3 billion) would begin in the fourth quarter.

For the North South Commuter Rail, which would start from Malolos in Bulacan to Calamba in Laguna ($6.03 billion), the government hopes to hold the bidding process by the first quarter next year.

Canilao said the government may even advance the start of the bidding by the fourth quarter of this year.

Other projects to be rolled out over the next 12 months are: the O&M and extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 which runs from Recto station in Manila to Santolan station inMarikina, the New Centennial Water Supply Source Project ($417.33 million), and the New Prison Facility ($895 million).

“In the next 12 months, we are really working hard, barring causes of delay in seeking approvals, then we’re hoping that we could rollout all those projects in the next 12 months,” Canilao said.

“The reason why we are putting word in the market that we will rollout these projects is so that investors can already founnd consortium and prepare for it,” she added.

The government has so far awarded seven PPP projects which are the Daang Hari – South Luzon Expressway Link Road; the PPP for School Infrastructure Project (Phase I), NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Expressway Project, PPP for School Infrastructure Project (Phase II); Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, Automatic Fare Collection System, and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building.