The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is letting the Cebu Provincial Government spearhead the implementation and completion of the Metro Cebu Expressway (MCE) Project.
Atty. Arjay Peralta of the DPWH Public-Private Partnership Service Office based in Manila personally delivered to Gov. Gwen Garcia a copy of the letter written by DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan addressed to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and Public-Private Partnership Center (PPPC) Executive Director Ma. Cynthia Hernandez.
Sec. Bonoan, in both letters dated April 4, informs Sec. Balisacan and Director Hernandez that DPWH will be fully supporting Cebu Province in its bid to lead the completion of the MCE Project through available means such as a Capitol-led public-private partnership.
“This is to respectfully inform that the Department (DPWH) is delisting the MCE Project from the list of Priority Infrastructure Flagship Programs (IFPS) / Public Investment Program (PIP),” the Sec. Bonoan’s letter reads.
Atty. Peralta told Sugbo News that despite the turnover of the project to Cebu Province, DPWH will always extend aid and support to the Capitol every step of the way. He added that NEDA and PPPC need not concur with DPWH before the Capitol can begin opening the project to potential bidders.
“Napaka-importante ng participation ng local government in the sense na on their own, they can ask for investors or they can look for any proponents na gustong mag-implement nitong project na to,” Atty. Peralta said after the meeting on April 5.
The lawyer added that with the delisting of MCE from the list of priority projects of DPWH, the budget allocated to it shall go back to the national treasury as the Capitol will now find ways to finance the project.
“Nandun po yung kahalagahan din po na ma-recognize natin yung kakayahan ng local government na mag-implement po ng ganong project,” he added.
It can be recalled that the Cebu Provincial Government had offered to be the lead agency in completing the 73.7-kilometer expressway after it suffered significant hurdles and mounting environmental and safety concerns while under DPWH.
Notably it underwent construction failure incident last year at one of the project’s environmentally sensitive sections in City of Naga, causing the MCE to suffer huge cracks and other damages that made it impassable because apparently, DPWH’s project consultants are not from Cebu and are unfamiliar with Cebu’s terrain.
Once completed, MCE will link the cities of Naga in the south and Danao in the north as an alternative highway that shall pass through Cebu’s mountain ranges.
Cebu, under Gov. Gwen, has developed an impressive track record of undertaking PPPs involving premium Capitol lots that generate stream of income for the province.
In two of these PPPs, the Capitol partners with Filinvest Land Inc. for the development and management of a four-tower BPO Complex at the Cebu IT Park, and in a mixed-use modern hotel and office space development at the Capitol’s Ciudad Property at Gov. M. Cuenco Ave.
Another high-profile PPP is the Capitol’s project with Spanish firm Acciona Energia and Freya Renewables for the construction and operation of a 150-megawatt solar power plant in Daanbanatayan town.
With this development, the Provincial Economic Enterprise Council, chaired by the governor, will now begin entertaining proposals from the private sector who might be interested in partnering with the province in building the MCE Project. | BJR