20 October 2014 - Executive Director Cosette Calinao of the Philippine Public-Private Partnership Center had a one-day series of meetings in Toronto on October 14 primarily to highlight and propel the Philippines as an alternative destination for Canadian investors within the framework of public-private partnership (PPP) and to introduce the country’s PPP projects among leading Canadian institutional investment and pension fund companies.
The week-long roadshow comes two years after PPP's initial visit in the region in 2012, taking advantage of Canada's designation of the Philippines as a "country of focus" in its development assistance and a Priority Market under its Global Market Access Plan (GMAP).
Executive Director Canilao presented the country’s dynamic PPP program with emphasis on its enhanced regulatory framework as well as its various projects for bidding and projects awarded during talks with Mr. Mark Romoff, CEO and President of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnership (PPP Council); a teleconference with its Canadian counterpart Public-Private Partnership (P3) led by its Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith and Media Advisers Michelle Coates and Monique Allain; lunch meetings with Rajiv Bakshi, Managing Director of MANULIFE Capital; Tim Runge, Principal of C&I Constructive Edge and Ian MacEachern, Vice President, Government Relations of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS).
The meetings provided an excellent opportunity for information dissemination on Philippine PPP, as well as an open exchange of views and concerns on the same that generated increased interest and enthusiasm, including possible future areas of cooperation with these prospective Canadian partners.
The Philippine delegation conducted its next rounds of meetings in Montreal on October 15 , New York on October 16 and Washington DC on October 17.
The Toronto-leg of PPP Philippine roadshow was jointly organized and coordinated by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Philippine Consulate General-Toronto. A working lunch was hosted by Consul General Junever Mahilum-West for the visiting Philippine officials. The Ontario Investment and Trade Center (OITC) generously provided the exclusive use of its Executive Boardroom and technical facility for this event. END