12 PPP projects go full throttle

By Victor V. Saulon, Sub-Editor | Posted on September 15, 2016

TWELVE infrastructure projects costing at least P265.31 billion are in different stages of procurement under a public-private partnership scheme, including the operation and maintenance of Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) and five regional airports, an official of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines said on Wednesday.

“The bid submissions that are happening soon, at least for transportation, are the five airports,” Eleazar E. Ricote, deputy executive director of the PPP Center, said in an interview on the sidelines of a trade and investment seminar hosted by the United Kingdom.

Pre-qualified companies, he said, are expected to submit their bids for the airport contracts between October and November this year. Based on the PPP Web site, the four shortlisted are DM Consunji, Inc.-Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd. consortium, Aboitiz Equity Ventures-SMRT Transportation Solutions consortium, Light Rail Manila 2 consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and San Miguel Corp.-Korail consortium.

The airports are in Panglao, Laguindingan, Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo. Of the five, the biggest in terms of indicative cost is the one in Davao at P40.57 billion, followed by Iloilo at P30.40 billion, Bacolod in Negros Occidental at P20.26 billion, Laguindingan in Misamis Oriental at P14.62 billion and Panglao in Bohol at P4.57 billion.

The implementing agencies for the five airport projects are the Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

Mr. Ricote also said the PPP center expects bids for the operation and maintenance of LRT-2 to be in by this quarter, or at least within the year, although no estimate was given for the project. Based on the Web site of PPP, four companies have been pre-qualified to submit bids for the project.

The government agencies behind the project are the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority.

The other projects are the Davao Sasa port modernization costing P18.99 billion, the second phase of the road transport information technology infrastructure project at P298 million, and the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa dam project at P18.72 billion.

Of the 12 projects under procurement, one has been awarded and listed as “for negotiation” with winning bidder Unisys Public Sector Services Corp., Mr. Ricote said, referring to the P1.59-billion third phase of the civil registry and system information technology project.

One project has a firm date for bid proposal submission — the regional prisons facilities — on Nov. 24, 2016. The P50.20-billion project is being implemented by the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Corrections.

Only one project is still under the prequalification stage — the P65.09-billion LRT Line 6 project under the Department of Transportation.

CLARK AIRPORT TOO
On the sidelines of the same forum, Don A. Mendoza, CAAP assistant director-general, said that aside from the five regional airports, the upgrade, operations and maintenance of the Clark airport is also scheduled to be under PPP next year, although he would not give a definite date.

He also said five regional airports are set to receive a “night rating” by yearend, while seven others are under evaluation towards making them capable of handling flights during nighttime. The five airports are in Roxas, Dipolog, Ozamis, Tuguegarao and Cotabato.

“Roxas is supposed to be completed on the 15th,” said Mr. Mendoza, but adding he was advised that the new target is end-September.

“Hopefully, by December we can get them all operating,” he said.

He said seven airports were also proposed for night rating — Cauayan, Pagadian, Catarman, Masbate, Calbayog, Dumaguete and Naga.

They will add to the 15 Philippine night-rated airports, namely: the international airports Diosdado Macapagal, Francisco Bangoy, Kalibo, Laoag, Mactan-Cebu, Ninoy Aquino, Puerto Princesa, Subic Bay, Tambler, Zamboanga. The rest are Bacolod-Silay, Butuan, Iloilo, Laguindingan and Tacloban.