NEDA PR/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Local governments and entities now have enhanced access to a facility that can fund the feasibility studies and project development phase of their public-private partnership (PPP) projects, particularly those on climate resiliency.
Under its Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF), the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center can now assist local entities to implement PPP projects that focus on developing climate resilient infrastructure projects, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The PPP Center is currently in the process of creating a regional PDMF to help strengthen the capacities of local implementing agencies in identifying and analyzing climate change issues like mitigation and adaptation in their PPP project portfolio,” PPP Center Director for Project Development and Monitoring Facility Service Atty. Lerma Advincula shared during the NEDA Regional Offices (NROs) PPP Knowledge Corner Focals Planning Workshop held on March 27 in Quezon City.
The PPP Center has recently been in discussion with several donors for grants that will be used to establish a regional PDMF to support local PPP projects.
The Urban Financing Partnership Facility of the ADB has approved a grant through its Urban Climate Change Resiliency Trust Fund (UCCRTF).
The said grant, which will be lodged through the PPP Center’s PDMF, will be made available to local PPP projects that will provide climate resilient infrastructure to vulnerable communities, specifically for projects in the sectors of renewable energy, water, sanitation, solid waste management, open/green spaces, food security, flood control, disaster risk management, and green vertical development.
The PPP Center is also in discussion with Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) for a grant that will help the Center enhance its expertise and capacity to develop projects that will consider climate change components, both at the national and local levels.
A regional PMDF Committee will be established to invite more applications for PDMF support from the regions. This initiative was approved by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in the recently conducted Regional Development Meeting last February 12, 2019, and will be presented to the PDMF Committee for its review and approval.
Under the regional PDMF, local governments, local water districts, economic zones and state universities and colleges (SUCS) can be given assistance in developing business case of their various PPP projects.
Upon completion of the business case, projects that would need more in-depth study may be referred to the PDMF for the conduct of a full-blown feasibility study.
A panel of local PPP experts will be established with expertise on climate change resiliency from highly reputable firms.
These panel of experts are expected to provide support to local governments in preparing pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and preparation of the bid documents, including PPP contracts.
These experts are also expected to provide assistance during project approval, bid management and financial close. They can also be tapped to provide an independent review and monitoring of PPP projects during implementation.
The PPP Center is currently beefing up its technical capacity to assist implementing agencies in preparing and developing climate change resilient PPP projects.
The PPP Center has recently established a collaboration with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) to help capacitate the Center and augment its knowhow on climate change and how it affects the development and implementation of PPP projects.
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