DepEd readies 2013 school building construction project under PPP scheme

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has created a committee and a technical working group to undertake the bidding and procurement of a second batch of school buildings to be funded under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme after successfully bidding out the construction of 9,301 classrooms under their PPP School Infrastructure Project’s (PSIP) Phase 1 last year.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro FSC said that the DepEd was on track in its goal to eventually close the classroom shortage by the end of school year 2013, with the PSIP Phase 2, as well as its own classroom construction projects funded with its own budget for the year.

“We believe that we are right on target in tapping the private sector and other education stakeholders in addressing classroom shortage,” he added.

Based on DepEd Order No. 4 for 2013, DepEd has created an inter-agency pre-qualification, bids and awards committee after getting an approval for the Phase II of the PSIP from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

The committee is chaired by DepEd Undersecretary Francisco Varela with DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali as secretary. Its members are DepEd Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo, DPWH Assistant Secretary Ma. Catalina Cabral, DPWH Director Judy Sese as alternate and DepEd Engr. Oliver Hernandez.

Acting as observer is Executive Director Cosette Canilao of the Public Private Partnership Center of the Philippines. To serve as observers are the Ateneo School of Government, Office of the Solicitor General, the Commission on Audit and the Office of the Resident Ombudsman.

The PBAC shall be responsible for all aspects of the procurement process for PSIP II pursuant to the provisions of the RA 6957 as amended by RA 7718 and its implementing regulations. Also, a technical working group composed of representatives from various sectors was created to aid the PBAC in performing its responsibilities.

The Phase I of the PSIP consists of 9,301 classrooms covering 2,204 public elementary and secondary schools, bagged by two groups, namely the Megawide-Citicore consortium, and the BF-Riverbanks Development Corp. group.

The construction is expected to commence this February. Phase II targets 10,679 classrooms in 5,167 school sites covering 14 regions.

The PSIP supplements other on-going initiatives of the DepEd to address classrooms shortage in public schools.