Ateneo holds JVO lecture highlighting the importance of partnership between the government and business sectors

Undersecretary Cosette  V. Canilao, Executive Director of the Public- Private Partnership Center of the Philippines, gave the Fourteenth Jaime V. Ongpin Annual Memorial Lecture on Public Service in Business and Government on October 28. 2015.

Held at the Ateneo Professional Schools in Makati City, Canilao gave an overview of the country’s public-private partnership (PPP) agenda.

The PPP agenda, she said, is a contractual arrangement between the public and private sectors aimed at accelerating infrastructure development.  The private sector, Canilao said, is the state’s partner in development.

“PPP contractual arrangement is not just a funding solution — it is a way of harnessing private sector efficiently,” said Canilao.  Private sector engagement, she added, is vital in nation-building.

Private sector “offers efficiency gains in technology and innovation that may be too costly for the state,” she said. In addition, private firms may finance, construct and operate the facility that creates the infrastructure. Aside from economic infrastructure like transport system, water supply and solid waste management,  other PPP projects include social infrastructure like education, health and prison facilities, ICT systems; tourism and industrial facilities.

Atty. Jaime G. Hofilena, Vice President for Social Development, moderates the lecture.

Canilao also explained the evolution of the PPP Center.  The center stemmed from the passage of Republic Act 6957 in 1990, also known as the Build-Operate- Transfer (BOT) Law.  The law acknowledged the role of the private sector in nation development. The BOT Law was then amended during the Ramos administration. It was later renamed to Private Sector Participation Program during the administration of President Joseph Estrada.  Under the Arroyo administration, it reverted to BOT program. The present Aquino administration later renamed it PPP Center.

“The PPP Center is tasked to assist implementing agencies. We also provide advisory services, project management and development facility,” she said. The center has also created the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PMDF) composed of 22 international consulting firms. PMDF acts a “revolving pool of funds” that increases the investment environment of the PPP agenda.  

Ms. Maria Isabel G. Ongpin delivers the closing remarks.

With PMDF, we were able to build a robust of PPP projects,” said Canilao.

(From left:) Dr. Mario C. Villaverde, Dr. Antonette Palma Angeles, Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao, Ms. Maria Isabel G. Ongpin, and Atty. Jaime G. Hofilena.

Since 2010, PPP Center has awarded 10 projects. Currently, there are 14 projects under procurement; additional 2 are for roll-out and 7 are pending approval.