Phl to hold roadshow in Australia for PPP projects

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is set to hold another roadshow in Australia this month to drum up support for the major infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Aquino administration amid the controversy surrounding one of the projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.

The PPP Center headed by executive director Cosette Canilao and deputy executive director Sherry Ann Austria are set to lead investment fora scheduled in Melbourne on Nov. 25 and in Sydney on Nov. 27.

“Following the success of the recent investment roadshows in North America, Europe, Japan and Singapore, the government is now set to promote to Australian investors various opportunities under the country’s PPP program this November,” PPP Center said in a statement.

The event is organized in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Canberra and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Sydney, and with support from the Australian Trade Commission and the Asian Development Bank TA 7796-PHI.

The agency pointed out that the Australia Investment Roadshow is part of the government’s efforts to encourage more foreign players to invest in the country’s PPPs especially that there is now a steady deal flow of investment opportunities and the country’s credit ratings are at an all-time high.

The government is set to present a robust pipeline of over 50 projects with estimated value of over $20 billion under the PPP program.

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.

The government has rolled out the biggest PPP project so far with the P123 billion Laguna Lakeshore expressway dike project; the P24.4 billion Bulacan Bulk Water supply project; the P18.7 billion New Centennial Water Source; the P4 billion Integrated Transport System (ITS) – South terminal; the P2.5 billion ITS-Southwest terminal; and the operation and maintenance of LRT-2.

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).

Canadian and American companies that have expressed interest in major infrastructure projects in the Philippines include Manulife Capital, C&I Constructive Edge, and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), Canada’s largest pension fund manager Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), Blackrock, UTC-RAS, Globe Connect, and Eisner Amper , Hill International, Parsons, Tetra Tech, and San Jose Construction.