Advice to next administration Prioritize PPP transport projects

MANILA, Philippines - The next administration will need to focus on public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the transport sector to improve connectivity and ease traffic congestion, the PPP Center said.

PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao said in a press briefing the next administration should prioritize PPP projects “on the transport side and connectivity between the islands and also decongesting Metro Manila and other urban areas.”

In particular, she said the new leadership would need to look at the development of airports and revisit the proposed subway for Metro Manila to ease traffic congestion.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency has conducted a pre-feasibility study on the P374.5-billion Makati-Pasay-Taguig Mass Transit System Loop, which covers an underground railway system as well as an elevated rail, to connect and ease traffic congestion in the three cities.

At present, the government is offering PPP projects involving the transport sector for bidding. These include the Operation and Maintenance of Light Rail Transit (LRT)  Line 2, LRT Line 6 Project, North-South Railway Project (South Line) and the Regional Airports Development Project covering New Bohol (Panglao) Airport, Laguindingan Airport, Davao Airport, Bacolod Airport and Iloilo Airport.

With the  elections set to be held in May this year, Canilao said the PPP Center expects to be able to  roll out the LRT Line 4 Project, as well as two to three more projects requiring the approval of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, before President Aquino steps down.

Among the projects awaiting the approval of the NEDA Board chaired by Aquino are the Plaridel Bypass Toll Road Project, Batangas-to-Manila Natural Gas Pipeline Project 1, Philippine Travel Center Complex Project, Ninoy Aquino International Airport PPP Project, and New Nayong Pilipino at Entertainment City Project.