Public-private partnership seen for city infrastructure projects
Stakeholders in priority infrastructure projects for Iloilo City are banking on a strong public and private partnership and wider citizen participation for the realization of the proposed P2.2-billion infrastructure projects for Iloilo City and its neighboring municipalities under the Metro Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council.
A presentation and copy report of the proposed infrastructures for the next six years were received by Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Board Member Jett Rojas representing Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. for the six MIGEDC municipalities in the formal turnover of projects held at the Sarabia Manor Hotel Friday.
Ma. Lea Victoria Lara of the Iloilo Business Club said possible funding will come from the General Appropriations Act of the national government to be included in the medium term development plan of the Department of Public Works and Highways projects.
Other funding sources are foreign assistance or private investors and stakeholders.
The report on partnership for better infrastructures summarizes the initiatives of IBC to assist the legislative district under Treñas to identify the necessary road projects that can wield strong economic impact to the city constituents.
IBC received technical assistance from the Research Education and Institutional Development Foundation supported by the United States Agency for International Development through The Asia Foundation.
The stakeholders recognize that the partnership for better infrastructures is part of an ongoing effort to increase citizen participation on governance to sustain economic growth in Iloilo City.
John Avila, cognizant technical officer of USAID, said they are ready to render technical assistance to PPP especially on tourism projects that will help put Iloilo on the tourism map.
Similarly, Ky Johnson, deputy country representative of the Asia Foundation, batted for wider citizen participation in promoting good governance in the local government units.
REID president Enrico Basilio said he wants to promote PPP in an open, competitive and transparent process especially in the “roll on-roll off” expansion to help the Philippines in the ASEAN Ro-Ro network.
The infrastructure projects are the P1.6-billion to P1.9-billion Circumferential Road I endorsed by the Regional Development Council in 2004 that covers 14 kilometers road and five bridges starting at the Iloilo-Antique road up to the Iloilo coastal road.
Also included in the IBC report are road and bridge projects that will catalyze the urban development in Metro Iloilo area such as the three-kilometer Jaro-Leganes Road worth P281 million from Jaro to Calle Progreso in Leganes; the 3.5-kilometer Radial 4-Bypass 2 road from McArthur Drive Bridge up to Leganes worth P240 million to P280 million; and the P174-million road from Jalandoni Bridge to the diversion road with construction of road and Dungon Bridge.*PNA
