PPP Center to help in reconstruction efforts for Yolanda-hit provinces

MANILA, Philippines - The Public Private Partnership Center (PPP Center) is ready to help in the reconstruction efforts for the provinces battered by Super Typhoon Yolanda, especially in the social aspects such as the construction of schools and social housing units.

Cosette Canilao, executive director of the PPP Center, said the agency is ready to tap the private sector to fund the construction of school buildings and social housing units in the provinces ravaged by the typhoon early last month.

“We are just waiting. If they ask us to step in and help them out, then we are ready,” Canilao stressed.

She pointed out that the agency has already successfully awarded two projects under the PPP for School Infrastructure Projects to expand the supply of classrooms in all public school system and reduce the shortage of around 68,000 classroom units nationwide.

The first phase under PSIP Phase 1 worth P16.42 billion is being undertaken by the group of Citicore Holdings Investment Inc., Megawide Construction Corp. Inc. and BF Corp. – Riverbanks Development Corp.

The second phase under PSIP Phase 2 worth P8.8 billion, on the other hand has been awarded to Megawide Construction Corp. Inc. as well as the consortium of BSP & Co. Inc. and Vicente T. Lao Construction.

“We have sample templates of contracts for schools that could be extended or copied for houses. We can ask the private sector to do the schools and houses,” Canilao said.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA said the Yolanda recovery and reconstruction would require a total of P361 billion in investments. About P183.3 billion of the total amount would cover shelter and resettlement followed by P70.6 billion for industry and services, P37.4 billion for education and health services, P28.4 billion for public infrastructure, P18.7 billion for agriculture, P18.4 billion for social protection, and P4 billion for local government.

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the amount would be disbursed over four years in line with a phased, cumulative and flexible implementation of the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) Plan.

“The government has allocated about P34 billion for the critical immediate actions, which are now underway. Another P100 billion is forthcoming in 2014,” Balisacan stressed.

He pointed out that RAY is the government’s strategic plan to guide the recovery and reconstruction of the economy, lives and livelihoods in the affected areas.

Balisacan said the total damage and loss from Yolanda has been initially estimated at P571.1 billion covering physical assets, reductions in production, sales and income, as well as the value of increased operating costs resulting from the disaster.

The typhoon caused damage and loss to infrastructure (P33.98 billion), agriculture (P62.11 billion), industry and services (P116 billion), education (P23.9 billion), health (P5.57 billion), housing (P325.24 billion), local government (P4.3 billion).

About 90 percent of the total damage and loss has fallen on the private sector with the remaining 10 percent on the public sector.