PPP Center makes early budget pitch

MANILA, Philippines—This early, PPP Center is already seeking funding for next year to ensure it sustains public-private partnership (PPP) project development activities in 2013.

“We already gave our budget proposal to the DBM [Department of Budget and Management] for 2013,” PPP Center executive director Cosette V. Canilao said in an interview. The proposed budget was P2 billion, she said.

The PPP Center has just replenished its Philippine Development Monitoring Facility (PDMF), a revolving fund for technical preparations and feasibility studies that ensure the bankability of PPP projects.

As implementing agencies and LGUs improve the pace of project preparation, the lineup of projects needing PDMF support is growing. With the PPP roll-out accelerating, the replenished PDMF managed by the PPP Center could run out this year. The PPP Center must ensure it secures 2013 funding early so that there is no gap in project preparations, Canilao said.

Canilao said four more proposals were submitted recently to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

NEDA deputy director general Rolando G. Tungpalan said the agency received last week the proposals from the Department of Transportation and Communications on the Bicol airport, Cebu BRT, LRT Line 2 East. The Department of Health submitted one, the modernization of the Orthopaedic Center.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is also ready with the NAIA Expressway proposal, Canilao said.

This month, the Automatic Fare Collection System and the Panglao airport project proposals are due for submission to NEDA-ICC. PPPs on heritage tourism are also being developed, Canilao said.

Cala expressway is due for submission and if approved right away, may be offered for bidding in June.

In April, the government announced that the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) was adding $15 million to the PDMF through a grant administered by the ADB. This is on top of the $7 million provided in 2011.