Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Thursday the city government has started accepting various proposals for the implementation of projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.
“There are several. From all aspects, we are considering all proposals,” Benitez said in a press briefing.
Among those submitted were for the traffic enforcement system, waste management, and the development of the Manokan Country.
For traffic enforcement, the proposal for a non-contact apprehension system will involve the installation of closed-circuit television cameras that will flag down traffic violators.
In terms of waste management, Benitez said before entering into a PPP for waste management, there is a need to understand what the city needs.
“We have received proposals for the (development of) aviation fuel from waste and waste to fertilizer. We are still looking at waste to energy but we have not received a viable proposal for the technology,” he added.
Benitez said there is also a proposal from SM Prime Holdings, Inc. to develop the Manokan Country located at the Reclamation Area.
A tourist attraction, Manokan Country is a row of restaurants selling grilled food, especially the famous chicken Inasal, situated right across the North Wing of SM City Bacolod.
“As far as I’m concerned, the Manokan Country will have its place in Bacolod. It will always be here,” he said.
Benitez said the city government would closely look into how it could accommodate the proposal of SM Prime.
“As long as we can reconcile the desire of the city to preserve the establishment and work with a PPP proponent for the possible upgrade of the facility, then we will consider it,” he added.
In a recent meeting with officers of the League of Cities of the Philippines, where Benitez is the national chairperson, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. encouraged local government units to go into more PPPs as a way forward, particularly for infrastructure development and digitalization.
Source: Philippines News Agency
