6 PPP projects worth P133 B up for NEDA approval

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is hopeful that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) would approve today six major Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects worth P133.2 billion.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the agency’s six PPP projects are part of the 18 projects scheduled to be tackled by the NEDA board today.

Abaya said the six projects of the agency include the bidding for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of four major airports worth P96.5 billion.

These include the P40.6 billion Francisco Bangoy or Davao airport; the P30.4-billion new Iloilo airport; the P20.26 billion Bacolod airport also known as the Bacolod-Silay airport; and the P5.23 billion Puerto Princesa airport.

Scheduled to be discussed today is the P17.5 billion Davao Sasa port project that involves the transformation of the existing port into a modern, international-standard container terminal providing a dedicated containerized port in the region.

The private partner in the Davao Sasa port project would finance the construction and modernization of the existing port including the new apron, linear quay, expansion of the back-up area, container yards, warehouses, and the installation of new equipment like ship-to-shore cranes and rubber-tyred gantry over the pre-agreed concession period.

Likewise, Abaya said NEDA would also discuss the P19.3 billion Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) project as part of the implementation of the Clean Air Act.

The project involves the setting up Motor Vehicle Inspections Centers (MVIC) to test various categories of heavy duty, light duty and two wheeler vehicles, across the Philippines.

He said the private partner would develop, operate, and maintain a network of MVICs to perform inspections for all vehicles in the country.

The roll out of PPP projects in the Philippines is in full swing after the award of eight PPP projects worth close to P133 billion.

These include the Daang Hari – South Luzon expressway link road (P2 billion), PPP for School Infrastructure Project phase 1 (P8.86 billion), the PSIP-2 (P16.28 billion), the modernization project for the Philippine Orthopedic Center (P5.98 billion), the Ninoy Aquino International Airport expressway (P15.52 billion), the automated fare collection system project (P1.72 billion), the Mactan – Cebu international airport expansion project (P17.5 billion), and the Light Rail Transit line 1 Cavite extension project (P65 billion).

The award of the P35.4 billion Cavite – Laguna expressway project is now pending after the disqualified bidder filed an appeal before the Office of the President.

The PPP Center earlier said the Aquino administration is set to roll out 18 PPP projects worth P407 billion before June next year as part of the inventory of over 50 projects already in the pipeline.

Earlier, Moody’s Investor Service cited the expanding market and the accelerating deal flow for PPP projects in the Philippines in a 21-page special comment entitled “Global P3 Landscape providing a region-by-region round-up of major themes in infrastructure investment.