Sec. Bautista invites Italian investors to explore transport projects

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is urging Italian firms and investors to consider funding Philippine transport projects as an ideal sector for business growth.

Speaking before the high-level ASEAN-Italy Economic Relations on Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista underscored the viable and business potential of big-ticket infrastructure in the transportation sector.

“We are presenting these projects to you, hoping Italian business leaders and company owners would consider the investment viability of our transport infrastructures,” Sec. Bautista said.

The transport chief noted that the transport agency has opted to undergo Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme for these projects as the government is tightening its financial belt.

“We prefer to implement projects by partnering with the private sector through a PPP arrangement. To overcome budgetary constraints, we turn to private investors or international financial institutions or foreign governments,” he explained.

Among the countries that have bankrolled DOTr projects include Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Singapore, Belgium, and Switzerland, among others, according to Sec. Bautista.