An inter-agency task force has recently been created to initiate the development of policies and processes that will resolve bottlenecks and gaps in the Philippines’ infrastructure development arising from inadequate planning, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
The Project Facilitation, Monitoring and Innovation (PFMI) Task Force, composed of economic and major infrastructure agencies, will be instituting policies and processes to address issues in the project cycle of the government’s flagship infrastructure projects, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General Ernesto M. Pernia in a keynote speech during the recent 3rd Asian Public Governance Forum on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and 4th Regional Policy Network on PPPs, Infrastructure and Connectivity.
The PFMI Task Force’s steering committee is composed of NEDA as chair, Department of Finance as co-chair, Department of Budget and Management, Office of the Cabinet Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, and Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
Pernia said NEDA is discussing with oversight and key implementing agencies ways to enhance the NEDA Board and Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Project Screening Guidelines.
“As part of a more efficient planning and programming process of the government, programs, activities, and projects for inclusion in the country’s Public Investment Program must be examined early on and screened through a more rational and methodical process,” Pernia said.
He said the final version of the guidelines will help the government identify the appropriate procurement modality that is favorable to both the government and the public.
The guidelines will help government address and minimize, if not totally avoid, issues in implementing projects that can be attributed to poor planning.
Pernia also underscored the need to amend the Philippines’ two-decade-old Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law and its implementing rules and regulations.
“(It is) among our priority regulations, so as to raise the efficacy of private sector participation and to keep policies attuned to the changing business environment,” he added.
Among the proposed amendments to the BOT Law are the inclusion of new variants for contractual agreements such as joint ventures; adoption of new approaches to unsolicited proposals to ensure transparency and competition without sacrificing speed; exemption from payment of real property tax for projects of national significance; and other measures to further improve the PPP procurement process.
Recently, President Rodrigo Duterte also signed Administrative Order No. 08-2017, rationalizing the composition of members of the NEDA Board to fast-track approval of big ticket projects.
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