AROUND 90 government infrastructure projects will be opened to public-private partnership (PPP) in the bid of the current administration to “enlarge” its fiscal space without sacrificing its infrastructure goals, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).
In a news conference last Wednesday, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno disclosed they are considering the option to reduce government spending for such projects.
“So instead of the government spending 100 percent of the cost [of such projects], I think only a fraction thereof would be spent by the government for projects that will benefit the Filipino people,” Diokno said.
The chief of the Department of Finance said this will free the government budget for use for other purposes other than infrastructure.
Diokno noted that the previous administration was unable to make use of PPP since there were no projects available for the said scheme that time.
“Now we are able to develop some 88 or 89 major projects ready to go, shovel-ready,” Diokno said.
Diokno said they anticipate there will be more takers for the new PPPs compared to that from the previous administration with the passage of Republic Act (RA) 11659 or the Amended Public Service Act.
RA 11659 allows foreigners to have 100 percent ownership in some sectors including telecommunication and tollways.
“I think we encourage them to come in, okay, and maybe choose some of those projects or develop their own and we will welcome the PPP arrangement,” Diokno said.