Public-Private Partnership: Good or Bad?

Public-Private Partnership: Good or Bad?

To define Public–private partnership (PPP), it describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. The private sector could then invest in public infrastructure projects such as farm-to-market roads, bridges, airports, irrigation facilities, rail systems, power-generation and distribution facilities and is expected to abide by regulations that come along with operating public infrastructure projects. Public-private partnership then implies a common understanding of shared goals, a willingness to delegated responsibilities for their achievement, a continuing public-private dialogue on what needs to be done to promote their realization, and a supportive policy and institutional framework. Partnership goes beyond business concerns, and extends into all policy areas, including education, health, human rights, immigration and citizenship, science and technology, foreign relations, arts and culture. There is a widespread trend to broaden participation in governance by strengthening the interface between the state and non-state actors.

Public-Private Partnerships are good if well-planned and managed. The Philippine Government cannot rely alone on its own budget for infrastructure development. The remedy then is to tap the resources of the private sector. We do need PPP as it could provide end-users with adequate, safe, efficient, reliable, and reasonably-priced infrastructure services. Though there are criticisms that private sector participation means operating for profit and user fees leading to infrastructure services to be more expensive than they should be, it does not have to be the case. If PPP will be implemented properly and that the government is expected to ensure the consistency of regulations and provide an environment suitable for both business and just for the end-users – namely the general public,