South Luzon Expressway. INQUIRER file photo
IT’S NOT just big conglomerates San Miguel Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. awaiting the May 25 opening of bids for the Cavite Laguna Expressway PPP. We hear even President Aquino is closely monitoring the process. That shouldn’t be surprising given the large amount of money at stake—a P20.1 billion minimum bid, which the government can use for its various projects, on top of the tollroad’s P35.4-billion construction cost.
More than the money, Malacañang has been very involved in the process as it stuck its neck out in ordering the rebid of Calax. Note that at the time, reversing the disqualification of SMC—which was removed from the running over a typographical error—was perceived to be an unpopular decision.
That’s from the perspective of many business groups as well as the frontrunner Ayala-Aboitiz tandem, which skipped Calax round 2. (Ayala still wins either way as its vast landholdings south of Metro Manila benefit from new infrastructure like Calax).
It’s apparent today that Aquino had plenty of goodwill to spare and that he bet quite shrewdly. Interest in his PPP program is largely intact and the PPP Center itself was even cited by the intelligence group of the well-respected publication, The Economist, as being the “most improved country in Asia-Pacific for PPP readiness” last April.
As eyes turn to the DPWH, some are wondering why Metro Pacific suddenly decided to bid, despite earlier reservations, and if it was bidding to win. That, and more, should be made clearer after opening of bids. Miguel R. Camus
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