Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate and Makati Mayor Abby Binay vowed to push for amendments to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code aimed at removing unnecessary roadblocks to the approval of healthcare projects, especially in rural areas.
“The Philippine PPP Code needs to be amended to address certain issues that hinder the establishment of meaningful partnerships between local governments and the private sector that can radically transform healthcare service delivery,” Binay said in a statement.
She cited a provision of the law requiring PPP studies to go through the PPP Center, which delays the approval process and causes bottlenecks.
“If you think about it, our PPPs at the local level are actually doing well. But the LGUs and their private partners get discouraged (by the process). Our term is already ending, and we still haven’t seen any results from the PPP Center,” Binay said.
“The PPP Center should serve more as a repository of PPP information than a gatekeeper, so that LGUs won’t have to contend with unnecessary bureaucratic delays,” she added.
Binay said LGUs should only provide the PPP Center a copy of their PPP agreement and need not obtain its permission or clearance, since there are other controls in place, such as the Commission on Audit (COA).
The seasoned politician said streamlining the PPP approval processes will encourage local governments, even those with limited resources, to pursue PPP initiatives that would give their constituents better access to quality services.
She underscored the importance of PPP in improving public healthcare nationwide, citing Makati’s experience in undertaking the country’s biggest PPP initiative on healthcare to date.
“Thousands of Makati residents now have free access to top-tier healthcare services at the Makati Life Medical Center as a result of an innovative public-private partnership,” Binay said.
Recently, Binay led the formal opening of the fully-operational Makati Life Medical Center showcasing an innovative public-private partnership model that can transform how healthcare services are delivered in the Philippines.
From its soft launch in May 2023, offering 24/7 outpatient services with modern diagnostic and laboratory equipment to Yellow Card patients, the hospital now offers expanded inpatient and specialized services.
These include 24-hour emergency care, imaging services, elective and emergency surgical capabilities, and intensive care. The hospital ward has 72 beds available.
Other notable PPP-led initiatives of the city include the Makatizen Card, a unified government citizen ID that integrates all city-provided social and financial benefits into one card.
The Makatizen App, the country’s first digital citizen app provides information and public services through various features, including an SOS button that enables the user to contact emergency hotlines with just one click in case of fire, crime or any emergency situation.
The Makati Public WiFi Project provides free internet to online users with a citywide fiber-optic infrastructure. Established in October 2021, the Makatizen Hub at SM Makati is a satellite office catering to residents, taxpayers, employees, and business owners for various services.
During Binay’s first term, the City Council passed City Ordinance No. 2017-007, also known as the Makati PPP Code. This established a framework to guide the City Government in crafting and implementing PPP projects that enhance Makati’s public service delivery.
“In Makati, our approach to Public-Private Partnerships is focused on identifying collaborations that drive innovation, improve service efficiency, and directly enhance the lives of our residents,” Binay said.