Speed up PPP projects, Neda told

PRESIDENT Aquino has ordered the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to speed up the processing of the project proposals for the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program to accelerate its implementation.

Speaking at Euromoney’s Philippine Investment Forum at the Peninsula Manila in Makati City on Tuesday, the President told businessmen that his administration is committed to fostering a business environment “that is both stable and predictable.”

“We want an accelerated program for the PPP program itself,” Mr. Aquino said, when asked for an update on his vaunted PPP Program.

He added, “I have instructed the Economic Cluster and also the Neda specifically, there has to be more speed in terms of giving a thumbs up or a thumbs down to all the various projects that are under consideration. We cannot afford to think of decades upon decades. We are missing the opportunities that are already extant.”

Last year the government only bid out one PPP project, the P1.96-billion Daang Hari-Slex Link Road, to Ayala Corp., much fewer than the originally planned 10 projects.

When asked what he believed to be the most “attractive” among the PPP projects this year, the President said the administration is “very excited” about the P10.4-billion PPP for School Infrastructure Project (Batch 1), which has been “generating a lot of interest.”

He added that the government is studying how best to expand the country’s gateways, especially the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, and a proposed nautical highway that would cut travel time from Luzon to Mindanao from three days to just 15 hours, a project that is “high up on the radar list that hopefully will be accomplished.”

In his speech, the President cited the reasons businessmen should believe him when he says that the Philippines is “open for real business,” among them, the “21 record highs in the 21 months of our administration” in the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) that had breached the 5,000 level.

He said the Philippines improved its ranking in the Competitive Index of the World Economic Forum from 85th to 75th place, while a  Japan External Trade Organization poll named the Philippines as the best place to do business in Asia and Oceania, whether in manufacturing or service.

“All of this is happening amid global economic uncertainty. If these facts and figures tell us anything, it is that the Philippines’s success has been nothing less than heroic, that we have experienced high after high in our investment story,” the President added.

Mr. Aquino said the “secret” to this success is his administration’s commitment to make it easier to do business in the country by creating a level playing field, curbing corruption and eliminating inefficiencies; and improving its competitiveness alongside countries with “very competitive business propositions.”

“We cannot compromise our position by making life more difficult for companies because of corruption or red tape….We need to continue fostering a good environment for business, one that is both stable and predictable. I assure everyone here today [that] this belief will always be a core principle of our administration,” he added.

Mr. Aquino said that this year, the government will focus on agriculture, infrastructure and tourism as they have the biggest impact on the economy.

He added that his administration “fully intends to increase farmer productivity and help facilitate the trade of their produce” and this, along with increased funds for agriculture-related projects, “will move us closer to our goal of reaching rice self-sufficiency in 2013, which we believe to be extremely doable.”

The President said that the Philippines might welcome almost 4.8 million tourists this year, based on the record-high 400,000 tourist arrivals in January.

Mr. Aquino added that the government’s infrastructure program is on track, and that as of March 15, nearly 90 percent of the projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways have been bid out, while 91 percent of these projects have been issued notices to proceed.

He said the government last week approved P133 billion worth of projects, including the P61.53-billion LRT Line 1 South Extension Project, which will extend the LRT Line 1 by almost 12 kilometers, from Baclaran, Parañaque City, to Bacoor, Cavite, and maybe even farther.

“I have full faith that Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas will have this extension operational at the soonest possible time. And if I haven’t ridden on it by 2015, I will be very severely disappointed,” the President added. -Mia M. Gonzalez / Reporter, Businessmirror