Introduction Statement of Issue The Philippine infrastructure gap is prominent at the local government level. In the Philippine Development Plan for 2011-2016, the public-private partnership program was identified as the main mechanism through which infrastructure development can be accelerated and inclusive economic growth can be attained. Drawing on lessons of the successful revival of the Philippine public-private partnership program, the study examines past experiences of public-private partnership projects of local government units in the Philippines and provides solutions for: Helping local government units prepare bankable public-private partnerships Ensuring efficient project procurement Enhancing financial viability of public-private partnerships Strengthening local government unit’s public-private partnerships legal and institutional frameworks to enable leveraging more private investment in local economic and social infrastructure Challenges Lack of technical and financial resources for project preparation, monitoring, and implementation has always been cited and continues to be a major impediment to local government units undertaking public-private partnership projects. To successfully implement public-private partnerships, these needs should be addressed simultaneously and comprehensively via technical assistance and financing facilities Lessons Lessons learned from the study can be found in the following areas: National Government Level At the national level, the success of public-private partnerships involve the President setting the policy direction, cabinet members providing the technical and financial resources and the regulation and clear definition of the role of the private sector in public-private partnerships. Local Level Factors for success at the local level include strict adhesion to a build operate transfer law and other relevant laws involving transparency, projects that are viable and attractive enough for the private sector, and a reasonably large number of potential investors with managerial, technical and financial capabilities. Technical Assistance Recognizing the need for technical assistance to identify viable partnerships, to help prepare and bid out projects successfully, and in monitoring, implementing and evaluating projects contribute to overall success of public-private partnerships. Financing Facilities Success factors include offering low interest rates to make financing attractive to local government units, regular monitoring, and financially viable projects. Resources ADB. 2016. Philippines: Public-Private Partnerships by Local Government Units. Manila. Related Links The Time Is Ripe for Public-Private Partnerships in Central Asia What are Public Private Partnerships? Ask the Experts Aziz Haydarov Senior Portfolio Management Specialist, Azerbaijan Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank Aziz joined ADB in 2009 as Young Professional (Economics) and continued as Country Economist at the Philippines Country Office. In 2013, he was Public-Private Partnerships Specialist at Southeast Asia Department covering the Philippines, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, and Malaysia, and in 2015 was Infrastructure Economist in ADB’s Indonesia Resident Mission. Since 2017, Aziz is with Azerbaijan Resident Mission leading country strategy, programming, analytics, and portfolio management. Prior to joining ADB, he was the World Bank's country officer for Tajikistan. Follow Aziz Haydarov on Leave your question or comment in the section below: View the discussion thread.