Government to award 13 PPP projects before end of P-Noy’s term

MANILA, Philippines - The government is looking to award 13 public- private partnership (PPP) projects before the end of President Aquino’s term.

“We are currently bidding out 13 projects… If those 13 will not encounter glitches, bid submission would be this year or first quarter of next year,” PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao told reporters.

If there are no glitches or requests for extensions, she said the government may be able to award the projects before the end of President Aquino’s term.

The 13 projects include the Integrated Transport System - South Terminal Project; Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project; Regional Prison Facilities; Operation and Maintenance of Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2; Laguna Lakeshore Expressway-Dike Project; development, operations and maintenance of regional airports such as New Bohol (Panglao), Laguindingan, Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo; Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project; New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project; and the North-South Railway Project (South Line).

Canilao said PPP projects which have been approved by the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) and NEDA Board such as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s Road Transport Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure Project and Philippine Statistics Authority’s Civil Registry System - IT Project, would be published for bidding by the implementing agencies. 

Negotiations between the Department of Public Works and Highways with the original proponent for the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway Connector Road meanwhile, would still be reported to the NEDA- ICC. 

Canilao said the government may also be able to roll out the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Development Project and LRT Line 4 Project before the change of administration next year, if approvals would be secured this year.

These two projects were endorsed by the NEDA-ICC for the NEDA Board’s approval last week.

“Once approved by the NEDA Board, then the implementing agencies can publish the projects…Those are big projects so it depends if the bidders think they have enough time, then it is possible to complete pre-qualification and bid proper,” Canilao said.

The government has so far awarded 10 projects under the flagship PPP Program worth P189 billion. 

The awarded projects are the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Southwest Terminal of the Integrated Transport System, LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building, Automatic Fare Collection System, Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, PPP for School Infrastructure Project Phase I and II, NAIA Expressway Phase II Project, and the Daang Hari-SLEX Link Road.