WB unit tags 15 PPP projects worth P496B as essential

MANILA, Philippines - The World Bank has identified 15 public private partnership (PPP) projects in the Philippines worth close to P500 billion as essential infrastructures to realize the Master Plan for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Connectivity.

In a statement, the PPP Center said the World Bank’s Singapore Infrastructure Hub has identified various airport, rail, port and road projects in the Philippines worth P495.84 billion that would directly link the Philippines with its ASEAN neighbors and to the rest of the world.

The list includes eight airport projects including the operation, maintenance and redevelopment of the Puerto Princesa (P5.81 billion), Iloilo (P30.4 billion), Davao (P40.57 billion), Bacolod (P20.26 billion), New Bohol (P2.34 billion), Laguindingan (P14.62 billion), and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as well as the upgrading of the San Fernando Airport, (P8.1 billion). It also includes the Davao Sasa Port modernization (P18.99 billion).

Road projects such as the P151.78-billion Plaridel Bypass Toll Road; the P15.77-billion North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) East Expressway; the P7.64-billion Central Luzon Link Expressway-Phase II as well as the P2.34 billion improvement, operation and maintenance of Kennon Road and Marcos Highway were included in the list issued by the multilateral lending agency.

The WB unit also listed the P177.22-billion North-South Commuter Railway (South line) as well as operation and maintenance of the Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT-2).

The World Bank said the connectivity projects would reduce transportation cost in all segments paving way for the exchange of more goods and services.

It added that the new infrastructure projects would facilitate faster and better travel that could potentially boost local tourism.

During the first ASEAN PPP Networking Forum hosted by the government in Manila last month, the Philippine PPP Program was at the centerpiece among ASEAN member countries.

It was regarded as one of the most mature PPP Program in the region that has established several policy and process improvements and developed a robust pipeline of projects.

ASEAN countries that are just starting their PPP programs, like Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, have also expressed their intent for future engagements with the PPP Center of the Philippines to learn more about the country’s experience.

To date, eight PPP projects was awarded and signed by the government amounting to P127 billion and built a pipeline of over 50 projects. At least 12 projects are currently under the procurement stage and nine more are expected to be rolled-out within the year.

The Philippines has been ranked highest in terms of PPP readiness in the ASEAN Region given its advanced legal and administrative structure based on the Infrascope 2011 Study of the Economist Intelligence Unit commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).