MANILA -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos on Tuesday, August 2, urged local government units to be open to public-private partnership (PPP) as a mode of financing for projects.

“I think this is the way forward, and I encourage all our local government units to be open to the possibilities of PPPs and to have private-public partnerships, especially in your areas,” he said in a meeting with members of the League of Cities of the Philippines.

Marcos said digitalization would play a big part in PPP, especially in pushing for economic recovery and digital transformation in the Philippines.

“Digitalization is a going to be a very natural fit for something like PPPs,” he said.

Marcos said apart from pushing for digitalization, his administration would also put increased focus on infrastructure.

“Marami ring opportunities especially sa infrastructure. Marami sa ating mga kaibigan na galing sa iba’t ibang bansa– lalo na nung nag-courtesy call sa atin ‘yung ambassador– marami silang ino-offer na tulong,” said Marcos.

The chief executive said he had received offers to fund big-ticket projects, including official development assistance (ODA) and joint ventures.

“May ODA, may private sector, joint venture… Well, you’re local government, you know that already. Local government generally cannot do it by itself. We have to find partners, we have to find local partners, we have to find investors. Sanay na kayo diyan,” he told local executives.

He also encouraged local chief executives to become the “driving force” to promote economic transformation.

“But even at the national level, we are encouraging it. I hope that you continue to do that and be the driving force behind our economic transformation. I have always said that some of the best talent in government is in the LGUs, in the cities, in the governors, in the mayors,” said Marcos.

In his State of the Nation Address, the President bared the government’s bid to increase digital connectivity in the Philippines through the so-called “Broad Band ng Masa” project.

Marcos has tasked Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan Uy to deploy digital connectivity across the country’s various islands. (PND)