THE Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center has submitted a request to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for a P300 million to P500 million additional funding for the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF).
On the sidelines of the first Philippine Investment Conference on Wednesday, PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao told reporters that the P550 million worth PDMF has already been fully allocated to date.
Canilao said the additional funding will be used to procure advisers and consultants for four new PPP projects that are part of the PDMF pipeline.
“We’re asking [for a] supplemental budget from the DBM so mukha namang ibibigay nila. [We are finaling the amount] but those that we’re going to issue is the request for proposals for four or five projects until the end of the year,” Canilao said. “Allotted na ’yung PDMF natin that’s why we’re asking for additional funding.”
The four or five projects may include the Road Transport IT Infrastructure Project Phase 2; Naia Development Project; Plaridel Bypass Toll Road Project; Central Spine roll on, roll off Project; and the Clark Green City Food Processing Terminal Project.
Canilao added that the fund may also receive additional funding from the Asian Development Bank, as well as the Canadian and Australian governments, which have already extended support to the PDMF when it was created.
This additional assistance, Canilao said may be extended next year as soon as the ADB, Canadian International Development Agency and the Australian Government’s Ausaid obtain approval from their governments.
The PDMF is a revolving fund used to procure consultants and technical advisers, as well as pre-feasibility studies for PPP projects.
After a PPP project is awarded, the winning bidder is required to reimburse the cost to the PDMF only if the project awarded to them received funds from the fund.
The current pipeline of projects qualified for PDMF funding also includes the Manila East-Rail Transport System Project; Manila Heritage and Urban Renewal Project; Tri-Medical Complex Project; Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Modernization Project; and the R1-R10 Link Mass Transport Project.
The previous and current recipients of funding from the PDMF include 27 projects including the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project; Clark International Airport Project; C-5 Transport Service Development Project; and the Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake Ferry Services Project, among others.
Cai U. Ordinario