By Emme Rose S. Santiagudo
Correspondent
ILOILO PROVINCE is preparing the concept notes for five projects being proposed for public-private partnership (PPP) implementation.
Governor Arthur R. Defensor, Jr. said the concept notes, which will be presented to potential private sector investors, are based on the output of the two-day orientation and workshop facilitated by the PPP Center on Jan. 27-28.
“We conducted the workshop to educate our technical working group and other partners on how to undertake the PPP projects. They came up with a draft but the final output will be the project concept note for the lined-up PPP projects,” he said in an interview last Monday.
The five projects are a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility; expansion of district hospitals across the province; a farm-tourism site at the Agricultural Technology Center in Pototan; an integrated government complex in Sta. Barbara for national agencies; and the upgrade of the Iloilo Sports Complex in Lapaz, Iloilo City.
Mr. Defensor said these projects were chosen based on the nature of the assets alongside the limited resources of the provincial government.
“For example, our sports complex is huge but it is underutilized, and we are spending so much money on maintenance. We want value for our money and are looking for ways to improve,” he said.
“There are projects we can’t afford to fund, that is why we chose PPP to match us with a partner… because it is too big for the budget levels of the province,” he added.
The governor also said that these projects will help create growth centers outside Iloilo City, which is an independent local government unit.
“The project in Sta. Barbara is a prime property because it’s along the highway. We want to help scatter development (in the) province because now it is just concentrated in the city,” he said.
He added that extending the development to other towns will help address congestion in the city.
“It’s better for urban management.”
Mr. Defensor said the province aims to pursue all five projects simultaneously.
The Iloilo City government is also considering three big-ticket projects under the PPP scheme: a solid waste management facility, the rehabilitation of public markets, and upgrading a slaughterhouse.
Neil G. Ravena, chief of the city’s Solid Waste Management Division, recently confirmed that the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management project has received approval for the PPP Center’s Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) support.
The PPP Center, in a statement, said the PDMF support includes the conduct of feasibility studies, project structuring, preparation of tender documents, management of the bid process, and assistance until financial close.
Mr. Ravena said around 16 proponents have signified their intent to partner with the city on the project.
He noted that the city’s existing sanitary landfill is expected to be retired in four years and that a more comprehensive waste management system is necessary for the growing city.
“Landfill alone is not a solution to our problems on waste. We really need this waste to energy project,” he said.
