DAMMAM: The Philippines is launching its biggest yet infrastructure development plans, one of the economic development flagships under President Benigno S. Aquino III. The infrastructure development plans include road buildings, transport systems, airports, power generation, and farm-to-market infrastructures, covering the entire country, according to director Paisal D. Abdulla, Head of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center, Philippine Consulate in Jeddah. Abdulla, who recently met and conferred with businessmen and investors in Eastern Province, said infrastructure development plans call for the partnering of the public and private sectors in undertaking the projects, which are already identified for implementation. “These Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Projects in the Philippines are the most viable development projects that will alleviate the major economic woes of the country, and at the same time guarantee return on investments,” Abdulla said in his meeting with officials of the Asharqia Chambers of Commerce and Industry and a group of Saudi entrepreneurs headed by Sheikh Hamad Al-Zamil, Chairman of the Al-Zamil Group of Companies. He said a three-day conference will be held on Nov. 17-19 in Manila to present the features of the PPP and how foreign investors can participate in the various development projects being offered. According to Abdulla, President Aquino will a lead panel of Philippine speakers who will explain the salient features of the PPP. Other speakers include Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., Socio-Economic Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., and Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo. A panel of speakers from the Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, World Bank, and international developers and financiers will also address the conference. Abdulla said “the conference will be examining the investment opportunities, profiles of PPP projects, and policy and regulatory concerns in developing the infrastructure sector in the Philippines.” He said that during the conference, investors, regulators, and international and local industry players will meet and seek investment opportunities and establish business partners and prospects in PPP infrastructure projects in the Philippines. The conference will cover wide ranging topics, including the latest updates on PPP policy in the Philippines, key challenges in the development of PPP projects, investment incentives for PPP investors, best practices in managing infrastructure projects in the Philippines and international case studies from similar jurisdictions in implementing PPP projects, the role of multilateral and bilateral agencies in fostering infrastructure development in the Philippines, the legal and regulatory framework for PPPs in the Philippines, and financing available for infrastructure projects in the Philippines.
