The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno has underscored the significance of a strong alliance between the government and the private sector in fast tracking infrastructure development projects and improving public services.
“Public-private partnership may just be the answer to our problem in meeting the infrastructure demands of our country. This collaborative undertaking is a win for both the government and the private sector, and most of all, the public who will benefit from the services,” said Sueno during the launch of the Public-Private Partnership for the People (P4) Initiative for Local Governments (LGU-P4) at the DILG-Napolcom Center recently.
He said that among the many benefits of LGU P4 is that the agency which teams up with an LGU can help look for partners to finance their program or project.
“Like sa (kaso) ng Zamboanga Sibugay Province: pumunta dito ang mga mayors nila para sabihin na may mga bayan sa kanila na walang mapagkukunan ng inuming tubig at para sa irigasyon. So I asked our PPP people at saka ang World Bank: both expressed their willingness to help not only financially but also in capability building,” he said.
The secretary said he is pleased that the public-private partnership is already being implemented by some local executives in their area of jurisdiction even before the project was officially launched.
One example is the local government of Valenzuela City through the leadership of Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian who have completed two projects via public-private partnership.
In line with this, Sueno recognized the efforts of the volunteer partners of the DILG particularly Atty. Alberto C. Agra who agreed to work as a consultant for the Department at P1 a year salary, and is currently the DILG Advisor on LGU P4.
DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero, who was also present during the event, said LGU P4 is not only about infrastructure development, but also on providing faster and better basic services to the people.
“We encourage our partners to really support the effort of the national government in accelerating development in the countryside,” said Panadero.
Also present during the launch and signing of the memorandum of agreement on LGU-P4 were: DILG Undersecretaries Emily Padilla and John Castriciones; Director Anna Liza Bonagua of the Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD); Jose Luis Yulo, Jr., president, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands; Crisanto Frianeza, secretary-general, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; lawyer Edmund Abesamis, Liga ng mga Barangay/ secretary-general, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP); Valenzuela City Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian; author and former acting Justice Secretary Justice Alberto C. Agra; Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Grace Yu; and Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis Singson, national president, League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), among others.
Meanwhile, PPP Center Executive Director Ferdinand A. Pecson said the center was ready to support the LGU Public-Private Partnership for the People (LGU P4) Initiative of the DILG by providing technical assistance and guidance to LGUs in terms of project development, and help in the preparation of feasibility studies.
He also added that the center was willing to transfer its knowledge to the LGUs by sharing the lessons that it has learned over the years delivering well-structured PPP projects.
Pecson added, “This LGU P4 initiative will only be successful if we will all support it. We are one with the DILG’s initiative to bring PPPs beyond the National Capital Region.”