Ayala still has appetite for more PPP projects

MANILA, Philippines - Listed conglomerate Ayala Corp. still has appetite for for more major infrastructure projects even as it is set to bag two of the Aquino administration’s largest public private partnership (PPP) projects.

Ayala Corp. managing director John Eric Francia said in a text message to The STAR that the conglomerate continues to look at PPP projects even as it is awaiting the notice of award for the P65-billion Light Rail Transit line 1 (LRT1) Cavite extension project and the P35.4-billion Cavite Laguna expressway project.

Francia pointed out that the company is currently looking at the P123-billion Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike project.

 â€œWe will look at future PPP projects including Laguna Lakeshore and decide based on the information we get,” Francia said.

The 47-kilometer expressway dike would facilitate traffic flow and mitigate flooding in the western coastal communities along Laguna Lake from Bicutan in Taguig City through Calamba to Los Baños in Laguna.

The winning bidder would construct the expressway and reclaim about 500 to 700 hectares of raw land.

Ayala together with infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) through Light Rail Manila Consortium got the nod of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to undertake the P65-billion Light Rail Transit line 1 Cavite expansion project.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved the P9.35-billion offer made by the lone bidder to undertake the extension of the LRT1 to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite from Baclaran in Pasay City.

Ayala through AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. has a 35 percent stake in the Light Rail Manila Consortium while MPIC’s MPIC Light Rail Corp. has a 55 percent interest. Macquaire Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. owns the remaining 10 percent.

On the other hand, “Team Orion, a 50-50 joint venture between Ayala and Aboitiz Land Inc., is awaiting the notice of award from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the P35.4 billion Cavite – Laguna expressway project.

Team Orion submitted the highest bid of P11.659 billion for the PPP project followed by MPIC’s MP CALA Holdings Inc. with P11.33 billion and Malaysian-owned Alloy MTD Philippines with P922 million.