THE ADMINISTRATION has entered its penultimate year with the biggest public-private partnership (PPP) project, so far, and six other infrastructure deals hurdling a step shy of final approval, according to a senior official of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) yesterday.
“All seven projects were approved last night, but with some conditions before moving up to next NEDA Board,” Rolando G. Tungpalan, deputy director-general for Investment Programming, said in a text message when asked on results of the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Technical Board and Cabinet Committee meeting on Wednesday night.
The five new PPP projects that were approved were the P374.5-billion Makati-Pasay-Taguig Mass Transit System Loop; P177.22-billion North-South Railway Project (South Line); P19.33-billion Motor Vehicle Inspections System (MVIS) Project; Expansion of Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) whose project cost has yet to be determined; and the P1.16-billion Civil Registry System (CRS)-Information Technology (IT) Project Phase II.
The mass transit system loop -- the country’s first subway system -- will link Bonifacio Global City, Makati central business district and the SM Mall of Asia area in a bid to ease traffic congestion in the cities of Makati, Pasay and Taguig, according to the PPP Center Web site. The planned 20-kilometer (km) system will consist of a 16-km tunnel, a 4-km elevated railway and 11 stations.
Besides the five new PPP projects, the Bureau of Fire Protection Capability Building Program Phase II project of the Department of Interior and Local Government and the P13.89-billion LRT Line 2 West Extension of the Department of Transportation and Communications were also approved by the NEDA-ICC on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s approval brings the seven infrastructure projects to a step away from final approval by the NEDA Board, which is headed by President Benigno S. C. Aquino III. Mr. Tungpalan said the projects “will go up to next NEDA Board meeting [sic] once agencies concerned are able to carry out the conditions recommended by ICC.” Asked on the conditions, Mr. Tungpalan said they include “to check on and assess alternative route or alignment for mass transit loop,” but would not elaborate.
Officials of the Transportation department and PPP Center were not immediately available for comment.
The next board meeting is tentatively set on Jan. 22, Mr. Tungpalan said, adding it could be “within the period of late January to early February.”
In addition to the seven ICC-approved infrastructure projects, “the 8-km North Luzon Expressway (NLEx)-South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) Connector Road and the rebidding of the P35.42-billion Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAx)” could also be approved in the next NEDA Board meeting, Mr. Tungpalan said via text.
PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao said in a briefing in Quezon City last month that her office targets to roll out at least nine PPP projects within the year. These are the Makati-Pasay-Taguig Mass Transit System Loop; North-South Railway Project (South Line); Civil Registry System-IT Project (Phase II); CALAx rebidding; NLEx-SLEx Connector Road; Motor Vehicle Inspection System Project; P50.18-billion Regional Prison Facilities through PPP; P18.99-billion Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project; and P400-million Tanauan City Public Market Redevelopment.
Eight PPP deals have been awarded since the flagship infrastructure program was launched in late-2010: the P17.52-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport Project; P64.9-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension; P1.72-billion Automatic Fare Collection System; P2.01-billion Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway Link Road; P15.52-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway; P16.28-billion first phase of the PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP); PSIP’s P3.86-billion second phase; and P5.69-billion Philippine Orthopedic Center modernization.
source: Businessworld
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