Senate approves Public-Private Partnership Act on third and final reading
September 25, 2023
The Senate has unanimously passed Senate Bill
No. 2233, also known as the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act, on its third
and final reading. This momentous decision was supported by 20 affirmative
votes in the chamber.
Sen. Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito,
who principally sponsored and authored the PPP Act, said the measure will
strengthen and revolutionize the way the government approaches public-private
partnerships, aligning with the vision to "Build Better More."
"It is both a privilege and an honor to
have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading this landmark
legislation, which stands as a testament to our collective dedication and
hardwork here in the Senate," Ejercito said.
"Through our cooperation and support to
this measure, we are confident that we are bringing about positive change by
forging strong partnership with the private sector and harnessing their
invaluable resources for national development," he added.
This bill stands among the priority
legislatives bills of the 19th Congress, as identified by the Legislative
Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
Ejercito noted that Senate Bill No. 2233 hopes
to provide a unified legal framework for all PPPs at the national and local
levels. The significant reforms introduced in the PPP framework draw from both
positive and negative experiences since the enactment of the
Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law in the 1990s.
Once signed into the law, the measure is
expected to address the country’s worsening infrastructure backlogs, generate
new opportunities for workers and the private sector, and eradicate poverty in
the process.
According to the Philippine Development Plan
2023-2028, the country needs to increase its infrastructure investments in
several areas of development, such as transportation, water supply and
sanitation, health, irrigation, and education.
In his second State of the Nation Address
(SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. touted his administration’s
P8.3-trillion “Build Better More” Program, vowing that the projects will
benefit the whole country. It covers investments in the areas of physical
connectivity, water resources, agriculture, health, digital connectivity, and
energy.
The
President likewise noted that physical connectivity infrastructure—such as
roads, bridges, seaports, airports, and mass transport—accounts for 83 percent
of the program.
