Darwin G. Amojelar
The National Economic and Development Authority endorsed P25.84 billion worth of public-private-partnership projects for the final approval of President Benigno Aquino III.
The Neda Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee approved the P14.72-billion Batangas-Manila 1 natural gas pipeline of Philippine National Oil Co., the P9.387-billion Plaridel bypass toll road in Bulacan province of the Public Works Department and the P1.75-billion Philippine Travel Center Complex in Intramuros, Manila of the Tourism Department.
After the ICC-CC approval, the projects were submitted to the Neda board, which is chaired by President Aquino.
The BatMan 1 natural gas pipeline project will transport natural gas to targeted markets in the high-growth areas of Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Metro Manila delivered through 121 kilometers of transmission pipelines from Batangas to Metro Manila.
The private sector partner will finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the proposed 121-km transmission pipelines, install compressor stations, metering stations, valves as well as control stations and supervisory control and data acquisitionsystems.
Neda-ICC also approved the Plaridel bypass toll road, a 23.3-kilometer road starting at the Balagtas interchange in North Luzon Expressway up to San Rafael, Bulacan. The road project will traverse the towns of Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Travel Center Complex project involves the financing, design, construction and maintenance of a mixed-use, multi modal complex that will house various tourism-related agencies in Intramuros, Manila.
PTC is envisioned to house all transactions related to travel and tourism in a single complex. This will also improve the delivery of government services and further increase the ease of doing business.
The government has so far awarded 10 projects under the PPP scheme, while 14 other projects are in different stages of procurement, two other projects for rollout, four projects for government approval and four projects with on-going studies.
The awarded projects were Daang Hari – South Luzon Expressway Link Road, PPP for School Infrastructure Project (Phase 1), Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Project (Phase 2), Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, Automatic Fare Collection System, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building, Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite extension and operation and maintenance, as well as the Integrated Transport System-Southwest Terminal Project.
Neda director-general Arsenio Balisacan earlier said the implementation of the PPP projects were expected to spur the growth of the economy in the coming months.
