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Aquino eyes more PPP projects vs Cebu’s economic woes


CEBU CITY — President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday disclosed he is eyeing more public-private partnership projects for the duration of his administration, only this time to alleviate Cebu province’s economic woes. In the regional economic managers' briefing and dialogue here, Cebu officials and businessmen laid out seven areas of concern: the need for more infrastructure, tourism improvement, reduction of power costs, and modernization of Mactan-Cebu International Airport, realization of the Panglao Island International Airport, mass transit system, and building the Cebu-Bohol bridge. Aquino said some of Cebu's wishes for new infrastructure could be fulfilled through public-private partnerships, which he first advocated for in his State of the Nation Address in July. Aquino said one of the potential PPP projects listed by the country's economic managers is the redevelopment and upgrading of the Mactan International Airport, the country’s second busiest airport. Pending the PPP, however, Aquino said some improvements in the airport will be seen in the near future, like a new instrument landing system that will be installed in the next few months, and eight new hanging bridges that will be auctioned to retire and replace the old ones. He said another potential PPP project is the establishment of a cold-chain system from Mindanao to Cebu and Manila, among other routes. The government is "seriously considering liberalizing air transport to make it easier for people to come to Cebu and to other parts of the country," Aquino also said. 'Achieve mutual goals' "This is the essence of the public-private partnership that I was talking about in my state of the nation address; that working together, government and business can achieve mutual goals that benefit the entire nation," he said. In an interview with reporters after his speech, Aquino reiterated that some businessmen have expressed interest in building an expressway traversing Manila, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Nueva Ecija all the way to Cagayan Valley. "I'm sure there will be a lot of takers for projects within Cebu," he said. The president said, however, that the plan to build a bridge between the Cebu and Bohol islands was very "ambitious" and would have to be studied carefully. Aquino's trip to Cebu City was his first official domestic trip outside Luzon as chief executive. With him was former Sen. Manuel Roxas II, his running mate who lost the vice presidential race to then Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay in the May 10 polls. Roxas declined to disclose what his capacity was in the presidential sojourn to this city, other than saying he was there as part of the "cheering squad." Aquino won in Cebu last May, beating Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. in the province widely-known as a bailiwick of then President and now Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 'Not political purposes' Aquino did not miss this in his speech. "Our victory in the last election would not have been possible without your support. I want to thank you again for giving me more than 50 percent of the vote for Cebu and the rest was divided amongst the multitude of my opponents," he said, emphasizing the last part in a jest. Aquino was also greeted by Cebuanos who were mostly clad in yellow when he went to the Cebu Coliseum to thank the volunteers and supporters that worked for his party during the campaign period. Organizers estimated the crowd at around 4,000. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang, however, said Aquino's trip to Cebu was mainly for economic not political purposes. "Cebu is the second biggest economy outside Manila," Carandang told the media that went with Aquino to this city. Carandang said the meeting with the campaign volunteers was a "side trip" since Aquino was in the province. Aquino is set to go to Davao City to meet with local business leaders there Thursday. —VS, GMANews.TV
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