BAGUIO CITY — Officials of this city are sitting on seven pending projects now placed under the new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 11966) as no Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) have been crafted yet.
Among these projects are the Market Redevelopment Project; the Intermodal Terminal Project; the Baguio Transport Solutions/Elevated Monorail and Electric Bus System; the Development and Improvement of Asin Hydropower Plants; the Smart Urban Mobility Project; the Baguio Central Terminal/Mixed-Use Building and Cultural Center Project; and the Mixed-Use Integrated Infrastructure for Socialized Housing and Permaculture Community.
Last Jan. 22, when the Baguio City Council invited representatives of the PPP Center, they said neither the PPP Code nor the interim guidelines provide “clear-cut” answers to a number of questions raised by local officials regarding these projects.
At present, the PPP Center underscored that in the absence of an IRR, it needs specific information regarding each of the projects in order to provide precise guidance to the city government.
The PPP Code, which took effect on Dec. 23, 2023, mandates the issuance of the IRR within 90 days from its date of effectivity while the IRR will take effect 15 days after its publication.
Jordan G. Habbiling, information officer of the Baguio City council, said local officials are hoping for continuity in the process for each pending project on the Interim Negotiation Panel for PPP Projects.
Ultimately, hope lies in the forthcoming IRR which is expected to delineate specific procedures crucial for the completion of the pending and incoming PPP projects of the city. — Artemio A. Dumlao
