SECRETARY Jaime Bautista of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said they will tap the financing capabilities of the private sector for the construction and implementation of the government’s transport projects and programs, given the limited public funds to fund such projects.
“There are many government projects that need private sector’s support because the government has limited funds,” Bautista said during a Makati Business Club (MBC) Forum.
Bautista identified big-ticket transport projects in the rail, aviation, and road sectors where Public-Private Partnership (PPP) can be implemented.
The transport chief mentioned the proposed EDSA Busway privatization as one possible PPP effort, as well as the construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Cebu and Davao.
“We ask the private sector to support the privatization of the EDSA Busway,” Bautista said.
Bautista said the DOTr aviation projects in the pipeline include the improvement of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), adding other airports in the greater capital for possible PPP proponents such as in Clark, Bulacan, and Sangley.
“We need additional airports to serve aviation requirements in Luzon,” he said.
Bautista said that the PPP will also be a huge lift for ongoing railway projects such as the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), MRT-7, LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, and South Long Haul Project.