FOR decades, local governments in Mindanao have dreamed of building better roads, hospitals, schools, and water systems. But too often, those dreams were buried in paperwork, stuck waiting for budget approvals from Manila that arrived late, or not at all.
Now, Mindanao leaders are being told they don’t have to wait anymore.
The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) launched the region’s first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Desk on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at Acacia Hotel in Davao City. The one-stop hub aims to help local governments tap private investors for infrastructure projects that directly address community needs.
The launch took place during the Mindanao Public-Private Partnership Forum, where MinDA Chairperson Secretary Leo Tereso Magno said the new desk could finally make PPPs simpler and more accessible for LGUs.
“Minsan pupunta yung isang LGU sa Manila, gumastos na sila, pagdating doon saka lang malalaman kung may kulang pa pala sa papeles (Before, an LGU would go all the way to Manila, spend so much, and only find out there were missing documents),” Magno recalled. “Walang naga-advice sa kanila dito sa Mindanao (No one was advising them here in Mindanao).”
He added, “It saves time. It saves energy. It saves finances para maisahan lang ang proyekto (It saves money so the project can be completed more efficiently).”
Breaking the dependency cycle
For many local leaders, this shift is not just logistical—it’s cultural.
Generations of LGU officials have grown used to relying solely on the national government to fund major projects.
“Akala natin na assistance lang o pondo lang galing sa national government (We used to think help only comes from the national fund),” Magno said. “Pwede namang may partnership ang LGU with the private sector (But LGUs can actually partner with the private sector).”
PPP Center Executive Director Undersecretary Maria Cynthia C. Hernandez said that PPPs offer an alternative financing channel. Instead of waiting for annual government appropriations, projects can move forward through private investments, where investors recover costs over time once projects are completed and in use.
“Hindi sila hihingi sa gobyerno ng pera kasi mamumuhunan sila, mangungutang sila para magawa yung proyekto (They don’t ask for government funds),” Hernandez said. “At magbabayad lang ang gobyerno kapag tapos na at ginagamit na (They invest or borrow to build the project, and the government only pays once it’s done and operating).”
From big-ticket projects to basic needs
When people hear “PPP,” they often imagine mega-projects like airports or highways. But MinDA wants to change that thinking.
“Ito, kulang ka sa tubig? Halika tulungan kita maghanap ng investor. Wala tayong hospital? Pati hospital pwede naman (If your community lacks water, we can help find an investor. No hospital? PPPs can help with that, too),” Magno said.
Half of Mindanao’s municipalities still lack access to a Level 3 water system. That’s why water supply projects are among the desk’s top priorities, along with energy initiatives, particularly renewable and off-grid power for remote communities.
Magno emphasized that PPPs can reach even underserved areas. “Why would someone invest in water here in Davao, where the system already works? You invest where people don’t have water yet,” he said.
Guardrails for transparency
PPPs have often faced public skepticism, with concerns about corruption or unfair deals. But Hernandez noted that the new PPP Code of the Philippines now provides clearer rules and stronger safeguards.
Under the law, approving bodies have a maximum of 120 days to act on proposals. After which, projects are automatically deemed approved.
Hernandez explained that since private partners shoulder the construction risks, they have no incentive to overprice projects; doing so would only make it harder for them to recover their investment later.
What the PPP Code means
Republic Act No. 11966, or the Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines, signed in December 2023, unifies and simplifies previous PPP rules.
It streamlines processes, ensures transparency, and gives LGUs greater authority to approve local projects.
It also provides several ways for private partners to recover investments through user fees, government payments, or commercial development rights, while strengthening oversight via dedicated PPP bodies such as the Governing Board, the PPP Center, and the Project Development and Monitoring Facility.
The goal: to attract more investors while protecting public interest.
A future built on partnerships
For MinDA, the PPP Desk is more than just an office; it’s a mindset shift for Mindanao.
While the desk is expected to support major undertakings like the Mindanao Railway Project, Davao International Airport expansion, and Agus-Pulangi hydropower rehabilitation, Magno said the real impact lies in the smaller, community-centered projects: rural clinics, farm-to-market roads, classrooms, and water systems that improve daily life.
“We are just opening their eyes,” Magno said, “so that they can actually push through with projects using this PPP mode.”
By early next year, MinDA will bring the PPP Desk to the provinces through caravans and training sessions, helping more LGUs learn how to access private investment.
For communities long stuck in waiting, the promise is simple but powerful: progress that finally feels within reach. RGL