P370-B PPP projects up for P-Noy OK

MANILA, Philippines - Two large-scale public private partnership (PPP) deals including Manila’s first subway with an estimated cost of  P370 billion are up for approval by President Aquino by the third week of the month.

On the sidelines of the four-day Asia-Pacific Economic Forum in Tagaytay,  PPP Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao said the proposed subway which will traverse from Fort Bonifacio to Makati to SM Mall of Asia and the P19.3 billion motor vehicle inspection project will be tackled by the National Economic Development Authority Board either on March 24 or 25.

The NEDA Board is chaired by President Aquino.

The mass transit system loop or subway will connect the central business districts in Makati, Taguig. and Pasay.  It will be a build-transfer-operate project.

It involves the construction of a 12-kilometer new rail line which will run mostly underground with some elevated sections with the Department of Transportation and Communications as the lead  implementing agency.

Once approved, the subway will be the the biggest PPP deal under the Aquino administration.

The subway will run from Market Market and St. Lukes hospital in the Fort, to the Edsa MRT stations on Buendia and Ayala, to Ayala Triangle, the Makati post office and the PNR station on Buendia then to the LRT station on Buendia and Taft then across Roxas Boulevard to the World Trade Center and SM Mall of Asia then back to the Edsa-MRT station on Taft.

The motor vehicle inspection project, on the other hand, involves setting up motor vehicle inspection centers to test various categories of heavy duty, light duty and two-wheeler vehicles across the country.  These centers, which will be linked to the information system of the Land Transportation Office, entails the development of vehicle lanes with state-of-the-art automated inspection equipment, parking area and test driving lanes.

It is expected to play a critical part in ensuring that the projected rapid growth in the motor vehicle population of the Philippines is environmentally sustainable.

Canilao said the business plan for the proposed Batangas-Manila pipeline project is expected to be completed by the   end of the month and will be submitted for approval by the Cabinet level NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee.