In a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday, PPP Center Executive Director Ferdinand A. Pecson said that while his agency has “no direct role” in dealing with these Chinese firms, “one of them in fact expressed interest in the regional prisons project.”
“So if ever we play a role in terms of investments from China, it would be through private investors that seek to participate,” Mr. Pecson said. He did not provide the names of the Chinese companies that approached PPP.
“One company for example was keen to establish… an integrated city where you have factories, services, schools and residential areas so I think this is a model that is happening in China and they are looking for locations in the Philippines where they can partner with government agencies to establish such projects.”
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said in a business forum in Davao last month that China is “considering the possibility of setting up industrial parks” in the Philippines.
“We are looking at one or two industrial parks to be set up this year or next year,” Mr. Zhao said.
According to Mr. Pecson, the PPP program has 50 projects in the pipeline worth P472.9 billion, four of which have been completed.
Meanwhile, the Regional Prison Facilities of the Department of Justice is among the projects under procurement, with the bid submission scheduled for April.
“A modern prison facility will be constructed in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija to provide our inmates at the existing penal facilities such as the New Bilibid Prison and the correctional institution for women humane living conditions from what they are experiencing today and help them undergo complete rehabilitation,” Mr. Pecson said.
