Davao city: The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) launched the Mindanao Public-Private Partnership Facilitation Initiative, known as the Mindanao PPP Program and PPP Desk, on Tuesday. The initiative, in collaboration with the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines, seeks to create a robust pipeline of bankable projects and to enhance agency capacities in Mindanao, while fostering a welcoming environment for private investment in long-term, revenue-generating ventures that support inclusive local development.

According to Philippines News Agency, MinDA Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, during the launch, stated, “This marks another milestone in our journey toward building a better Mindanao. We have officially launched the Mindanao PPP Program and Desk, and now shift our focus to activating this platform for real impact.” The program aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s broader strategy to promote regional investment and accelerate infrastructure development through PPPs, with a main goal to assist local government units (LGUs) in executing high-impact projects in infrastructure and energy.

Magno further announced during a press briefing that the PPP Desk is operational physically at MinDA’s Davao City office and is digitally accessible to all LGUs and agencies across Mindanao. “It is designed to be the first stop for PPP support — from project identification and structuring to legal guidance, investor matching, and capacity development,” he explained. He emphasized the Desk’s role as more than just a platform but as a commitment to empower LGUs, attract responsible investment, and deliver transformative infrastructure, thereby turning Mindanao from a land of promise into a land of fulfilled promises.

Furthermore, PPP Center executive director Ma. Cynthia Hernandez highlighted that collaboration with MinDA began in 2017 through a memorandum of understanding, which created a framework for capacity building and processes to improve infrastructure investment and PPP planning for LGUs in Mindanao. “This partnership supports the Center’s PPP strategy, which aims to educate LGUs about PPPs as an alternative way to finance and implement local infrastructure,” Hernandez noted. The approach was further strengthened by the PPP Code signed by the President in December 2023.