HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez called for more infrastructure projects through public-private partnerships (PPPs) as he led the groundbreaking ceremony for a tollway expansion venture on Wednesday.
“As our population grows and our economy expands, it is imperative that we invest in the modernization and expansion of our infrastructure,” Mr. Romualdez said at the groundbreaking rites for the Third Candaba Viaduct project of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corp. in Bulacan.
“As we break ground today, we are not just laying the foundation for a new structure; we are paving the way for progress, prosperity, and a brighter future for our nation,” he added.
The PPP Center has 87 projects in the pipeline worth P2.956 trillion, not including projects yet to be finalized.
Congress has also yet to pass a proposed PPP law, which specifies guidelines for government-private sector joint projects that will help build and manage government services or businesses.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. certified the bill as urgent last week.
The lower chamber in May passed on third and final reading House Bill No. 8078, which aims to adopt a 30-year National Infrastructure Program (NIP).
According to the measure, infrastructure efforts will prioritize transportation, energy, water resources, information, and communications technology, agri-fisheries modernization and food logistics, and social infrastructure.
The NIP will be funded by the national budget, PPPs, or local government units.
MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz