First published in InfraTalks, Aboitiz InfraCapital's monthly column in The Manila Times.

There was a time—not too long ago—when every trip to the airport meant bracing for long lines, delayed flights, and crowded terminals. As a Mindanaoan, I remember this back in the early 2000s, when we would fly to Manila–and back–for various work and vacation trips.

For years, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) carried the weight of nearly all of the country’s international air traffic. Expanding NAIA seemed like the obvious answer, but the bigger question was: how do we build a more balanced, future-ready aviation system?

The real solution wasn’t just expansion—it was decongestion through strategic regional gateways. This vision came to life in the award-winning new terminals of Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu. Delivered through public-private partnerships, these projects became more than just infrastructure—they stand as milestones of purposeful collaboration and forward-thinking development.

And that’s the bigger story. Infrastructure transformation in the Philippines doesn’t hinge solely on blueprints or budgets. At its core is a powerful but often understated driver: authentic, long-term synergy between the public and private sectors.

We often say that infrastructure is the backbone of national development. And while that may sound cliché, the numbers reinforce its urgency. According to the Asian Development Bank report “Infrastructure for a Seamless Asia,” Southeast Asia needs $127 billion in infrastructure investments every year until 2030—particularly in climate-resilient, adaptive systems.

In the Philippines, national strategies like Build Better More outline a bold, future-forward vision. But strategies alone don’t build roads, water systems, or airports. Successful execution that hinges on synchronized action across national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and private players is important. As projects become more complex and community-centered, this kind of cross-sector alignment isn’t just valuable—it’s essential.

Look at CRK again. More than a structure, it reflects regional aspirations, economic strategy, and inclusive design. Or the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP), a successful partnership between Aboitiz InfraCapital’s Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. and the Davao City Water District.

This project delivers 300 million liters of sustainable water to the city daily. While it stands as a significant technical achievement, it’s also the result of a shared public vision, proactive community engagement, and the private sector’s ability to adapt and deliver.

These kinds of partnerships work because they recognize that infrastructure must serve people first. When synergy is present, infrastructure becomes more than a technical solution—it becomes a platform for community transformation.

I firmly believe in the whole-of-nation approach. In today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world, there is immense value in collaboration. By working together, the public and private sectors can complement each other’s efforts, pool resources, and learn from one another to perform our roles more effectively.

Behind every successful partnership is a web of relationships, and this is where government relations plays a critical role.

Government relations professionals have transformed into essential bridge-builders: shaping policies, aligning incentives, and ensuring public and private stakeholders move in unison. In the case of Apo Agua, Aboitiz InfraCapital collaborated closely with the Davao City LGU and key national government agencies on a range of areas, including importations, logistics, communications, permitting, and community engagement.

Good government relations helps navigate the national-local dynamic, ensuring that private projects support local and regional development plans—and that LGUs are true partners, not passive beneficiaries. It’s a long game that begins well before groundbreaking and continues long after inauguration.

Indeed, in its 2023 annual report, the World Bank-backed Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility found that countries with mechanisms for ongoing public-private coordination reduced project delays by 40%.

Locally, the PPP Center’s work with LGUs is a promising sign. By equipping LGUs with the tools and training to engage in infrastructure development, we’re seeing stronger, successful and more sustainable partnerships take root.

The Apo Agua experience illustrates this well: a years-long journey of alignment, cooperation, and resilience—even through a global pandemic. When public and private sectors stay in sync, infrastructure becomes a source of stability, not disruption.

To make synergy the norm—not the exception—we need to institutionalize it. That means:

Establishing joint infrastructure task forces (or equivalent) to foster alignment and points of cooperation from day one
Incentivizing LGU capacity-building and ensuring knowledge transfer across political transitions
Defining shared metrics for success—on timelines, community outcomes, and environmental standards

Infrastructure isn’t just about what we build—it’s about how we build it, who we build it with, and the lasting impact it creates for communities and future generations. Because when built through partnerships, infrastructure becomes more than structures—it becomes a force for shaping the future.

Projects like CRK and Apo Agua’s DCBWSP remind us that transformation doesn’t just happen with investment. It happens when public and private sectors move together, with shared goals and sustained commitment. When that happens, the blueprint becomes a bridge—to progress, inclusion, and real impact.