PPP Center head resigns

By Daryl Rose Virtudazo

President Aquino has accepted the resignation of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao.

This was announced by Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr., who said the PPP Center will continue its mandate of implementing vital infrastructure projects, despite the resignation of Canilao.

Coloma said Canilao, as head of PPP Center in 2011, has “performed exemplarily as the center has earned increased investor confidence and enhanced the country’s overall competitiveness, especially in the area of public infrastructure during her watch.”

“The PPP Center will continue with its task of vetting, recommending and implementing vital infrastructure projects,” Coloma said. “During the past five-and-a-half years, the center has established its capability to perform its mandate, and has gained global recognition in implementing best practices,” he added.

Citing the PPP Center, Coloma said “the government is currently bidding out 14 PPP projects. which include five regional airports, a prison facility, a port-modernization and water project, expressway dike, two information technology (IT) projects, and three rail projects.”

All 14 PPP projects have a total estimated value of P556.56 billion. Coloma said these projects have been duly exempted from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ban on “transfer or movement of officers and employees in the civil service” during the election period as promulgated under Comelec Resolution 9981.

The PPP Center is a specialized body mandated to oversee and review the implementation of the PPP program and projects.

In her resignation letter, Canilao cited pressing family concerns for stepping down from her post, effective Mar. 8.

Canilao recommended lawyer Andre Palacios, a PPP Center consultant, to replace her.

She also urged that the center be part of the President’s Cabinet, saying this would streamline and fasttrack the process of building infrastructure in the country.

Meanwhile, Peter Lavina, spokesman of Davao mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte, said Canilao and resigned Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Juan Sta. Ana wanted to jump ship so as not to face an investigation over the anomalous Sasa Port Modernization PPP in Davao City.

Last December, the city council of Davao passed a resolution calling for the filing of charges against officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the PPP Center over the project.

“The modernization project will have a total cost of P18.9 billion, while the original cost of the project, based on a PPA study in 2012, was only P4 billion,” Lavina said.