BERNOS: MEMO ON PPP PROJECTS TO PROVIDE ‘MUCH-NEEDED HELP’ TO LGUS

A planned memorandum for guidance on public-private partnerships for development projects would provide “much-needed help” to local government units, a lawmaker from the House committees on local government and rural development said.

“PPP projects are a game-changer for LGUs because our development projects need not be stymied by the lack of funding anymore. So the impending issuance of guidelines for how we can properly embark on PPP projects would provide much-needed help especially for LGUs that lack technical expertise,” Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos said.

The PPP Center recently announced that it is set to release a joint memorandum circular with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which will serve as an implementation guide for LGUs, particularly for healthcare projects.

The memorandum is targeted for issuance in the early second half of this year, the center said.

According to PPP Center Undersecretary and Executive Director Rizza Blanco-Latorre, the PPP Code streamlined the processing of PPP projects for LGUs, empowering Sanggunians with project approval regardless of project cost.

Bernos said that he anticipates the number of LGU-led PPP projects to increase with the issuance of the guidelines.

Currently, 64 of the 251 projects in the P3.13-trillion PPP pipeline are to be overseen by LGUs.

“I believe that with proper guidance, more local governments will access PPPs to spur local development. Now hospitals and other health facilities, better public markets and terminals, and modern agriculture will no longer be a pipe dream,” said the lawmaker.

“Sa tulong ng PPP projects, may pagkakataon na tayong maka-alpas sa pangunahing hamon ng mga lokal na pamahalaan sa inaasam na progreso dahil may katuwang sa pondo.”