Ayala will continue bid for PPP projects

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MANILA – Despite impending rebidding for the P35.4-billion Cavite-Laguna expressway, Ayala Corp. said that they will continue to bid for the major infrastructure projects under the government’s public private partnership (PPP) program.

“We will continue to participate in PPP projects,” said Ayala Corp. managing director John Eric Francia.

He said that Ayala Corp., through Ayala Land Inc., is eying the P123-billion Laguna Lakeshore expressway dike project which happens to be the biggest PPP project under the current administration.

The said dike will pave way for improved traffic flow and as well as mitigate flooding in the western coastal communities along Laguna Lake. The 47-kilometer expressway dike will also involve reclamation of about 700 hectares of raw land.

Francia also said that the company is interested also in the P24.4-billion Bulacan bulk water supply project of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) through Manila Water Company Inc. Aside from this, another project that the conglomerate wants to bid for include the operation and maintenance (O&M) of Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT-2) through Light Rail Manila Holdings (LRMH).

“Currently we are looking at LRT2 through LRM Holdings, Laguna Lakeshore through Ayala Land as well as Bulacan Water through Manila Water,” Francia said.

Ayala holds a 50-percent stake in Team Orion. The other half is owned by Aboitiz Land Inc. The latter submitted a P11.659 billion cost for the Calax project which is by far the best bid.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is questioning the disqualification of its unit Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. The company has filed a motion before the Office of the President.

Last June 30, Malacañang issued a “stay order” to prevent DPWH from implementing a June 11 resolution that prohibited the SMC unit. The said conglomerate submitted a bid of P20.1 billion for the project.

President Aquino, last week, said that he is inclined to order a rebid for the said project.