A FASTER and more effective implementation of projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme can be expected for the next six years, the incoming economic cluster cabinet of the Rodrigo Duterte's administration said Monday, June 20.
Incoming National Economic Development Authority (Neda) director general Ernesto Pernia said to achieve this, it will necessitate streamlined processes and procedures for PPP projects review and approval.
"Cutting red tape, from the start, is already one of the areas the next administration is determined to achieve," he said during the consultative workshop with business community at the SMX Conventiom Center, SM Lanang Premier in Davao City.
For instance, incoming Finance Secretary Carlos "Sonny" Dominguez cited average timeframe for implementation of the 12 projects under PPP in the last six years take 29 months.
"I think we could cut that to at least 18 to 20 months," Dominguez said.
Incoming Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Arthur Tugade also said that they are gearing up for the creation of a strong monitoring team which will be tasked to ensure that the project's timeline will be implemented on track under its project's timeline.
The Duterte administration's economic team also reported that the 80 percent of the total projects under PPP are in and around Metro Manila leaving the rural areas lagging behind in economic growth.
"The infrastructure projects now should be focused in rural and second-class municipalities. The main target with PPP for the next administration is to accelerate project implementatation and identify outlying areas for inclusive growth," Dominguez said.
PPP to continue with Duterte admin
Even with the failure of the 16th Congress to pass the proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act, the incoming Duterte administration intend to retaining the PPP Program, now in an improved and better shape.
“I am okay with the current system (PPP scheme) just make it faster,” Duterte said in a previous report adding that overhauling the system would take a long process.
He stressed that any program that would promote public welfare will be sustained.
Outgoing President Benigno Aquino III initiated the PPP program “as a cornerstone strategy of the government to accelerate the country’s infrastructure development and sustained economic growth, recognizing the critical role of the private sector as the main engine for national development.
The PPP Center was created through Executive Order 8 by outgoing President Benigno Aquino III in September 2010, renaming the Build-Operate-Transfer Center as the PPP Center and transferred it from being an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry to the Neda.
According to the PPP Center website, it has awarded 12 projects while there are still 53 infrastructure projects in its pipeline.
For Davao City, some of the PPP projects being proposed are the controversial P18.99-billion Davao Sasa Port Development project and P108.19 billion bundled maintenance project for five regional airports which include the P40.57 billion development and maintenance of the Davao International Airport.