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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Economy devider Purely private sector-led projects eyed for inclusion in Marcos flagship infra

Purely private sector-led projects eyed for inclusion in Marcos flagship infra

Published Feb 16, 2026 12:00 am  |  Updated Feb 14, 2026 11:13 am
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the inspection of the Flood Mitigation Project in in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, Iloilo City on Aug. 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy of PCO)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the inspection of the Flood Mitigation Project in in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, Iloilo City on Aug. 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy of PCO)
The Marcos Jr. administration is eyeing four priority areas for purely privately funded and implemented projects for inclusion in its infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) list, as it seeks to accelerate the country’s infrastructure rollout through greater private-sector participation.
Documents published last week on the website of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) showed the priority list for purely private business undertakings that may be added to the official “Build Better More” (BBM) IFPs roster includes basic infrastructure facilities and services. DEPDev said eligible programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) include water supply and sanitation systems, socialized or low-cost housing, solid waste management facilities, specialty health centers and hospitals, power generation, transmission and distribution projects, as well as telecommunications and public internet access.
Besides basic infrastructure, private-led infrastructure projects considered urgent in response to national or local emergencies, declared states of calamity, and other crisis situations, as well as those addressing foreseeable or recurring threats may be considered as IFPs.
These “urgently needed” private infrastructure projects may cover physical connectivity, mobility, and logistics. Specifically, DEPDev said PAPs that expand and upgrade transportation and destination infrastructure to improve mobility and ease congestion, such as ports, roads and bridges, active transport infrastructure, and projects supporting intermodal connectivity and logistics efficiency may be included in the IFPs list.

Agricultural sustainability and food security are also among the identified focus areas. DEPDev emphasized that projects under this category aim to strengthen sustainable and resilient agriculture and the agricultural value chain. These include facilities for specialized agricultural produce, livestock and food production, processing, transport and storage; agricultural warehouses; logistics and value chain support; AAA slaughterhouses; and irrigation and drainage management systems.

Disaster resilience and safety-related infrastructure likewise form part of the proposed additions. DEPDev added that this category covers both green and gray infrastructure, including floodplain ecosystems, flood protection systems, wetland systems, urban farming, and climate monitoring and early warning systems. It also includes facilities and equipment needed to deliver emergency services, such as fire trucks, police vehicles, aircraft, ships, and communications vehicles.

In addition, DEPDev said the proposed list includes projects aimed at enhancing research and development (R&D) capacity in virology, including the development of diagnostics and vaccines to prevent or mitigate disease outbreaks and pandemics. Post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction projects aligned with the “build back better” principle—particularly those rebuilt to improved disaster resiliency standards—are also being considered for inclusion.

Last month, Manila Bulletin reported that the Economy and Development (ED) Council, chaired by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., had tightened the rules governing the administration’s big-ticket IFPs, a move widely seen as a response to recent corruption controversies involving flood control and other public works projects that dented investor confidence last year.

The latest BBM data on DEPDev’s website included 209 IFPs worth a total of ₱10.6 trillion.

By sector, 140 IFPs are for physical connectivity, 32 for water resources, nine for agriculture, six for digital connectivity, five for health, three for power and energy, two each for education and housing, and 10 for other infrastructure.

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