Sec. 295. Scope. - This Title shall govern the power of local government units to create indebtedness and to enter into credit and other financial transactions.

Sec. 296. General Policy. -

1. It shall be the basic policy that any local government unit may create indebtedness, and avail of credit facilities to finance local infrastructure and other socio-economic development projects in accordance with the approved local development plan and public investment program.
   
   
2. A local government unit may avail of credit lines from government or private banks and lending institutions for the purpose of stabilizing local finances.

Sec. 297. Loans, Credits, and Other Forms of Indebtedness of Local Government Units. -

1. A local government unit may contract loans, credits, and other forms of indebtedness with any or domestic private bank and other lending institutions to finance the construction, installation, improvement, expansion, operation, or maintenance of public facilities, infrastructure facilities, housing projects, the acquisition of real property, and the implementation of other capital investment projects, subject to such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the local government unit and the lender. The proceeds from such transactions shall accrue directly to the local government unit concerned.
   
   
2. A local government unit may likewise secure from any government bank and lending short, medium and long-term loans and advances against security of real estate or other acceptable assets for the establishment, development, or expansion of agricultural, industrial, commercial, house financing projects, livelihood projects, and other economic enterprises.
   
   
3. Government financial and other lending institutions are hereby authorized to grant loans, credits, and other forms of indebtedness out of their loanable funds to local government units for purposes specified above.

Sec. 298. Deferred-Payment and other Financial Schemes. - Provincial, city and municipal governments may likewise acquire property, plant, machinery, equipment, and such necessary accessories under a supplier's credit, deferred payment plan, or other financial scheme.

Sec. 299. Bonds and Other Long-Term Securities. - Subject to the rules and regulations of the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission, provinces, cities, and municipalities are hereby authorized to issue bonds, debentures, securities, collaterals, notes and other obligations to finance self-liquidating, income-producing development or livelihood projects pursuant to the priorities established in the approved local development plan or the public investment program. The Sanggunian concerned shall, through an ordinance approved by a majority of all its members, declare and state the terms and conditions of the bonds and the purpose for which the proposed indebtedness is to be incurred.

Sec. 300. Inter-Local Government Loans, Grants, and Subsidies. Provinces, cities and municipalities may, upon approval of the majority of all members of the Sanggunian concerned and in amounts not exceeding their surplus funds, extend loans, grants, or subsidies to other local government units under such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the contracting parties. Local government units may, upon approval of their respective Sanggunian, jointly or severally contract loans, credits, and other forms of indebtedness for purposes mutually beneficial to them.

Sec. 301. Loans from Funds Secured by the National Government from Foreign Sources. -

1. The President, or his duly authorized representative, may, through any government financial or other lending institution, relend to any province, city, municipality, or Barangay, the proceeds of loans contracted with foreign financial institutions or other international funding agencies for the purpose of financing the construction, installation, improvement, expansion, operation, or maintenance of public utilities and facilities, infrastructure facilities, or housing projects, the acquisition of real property, and the implementation of other capital investment projects, subject to such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the President and the local government unit. The proceeds from such loans shall accrue directly to the local government concerned.
   
   
2. The President may likewise authorize the relending to local government units the proceeds of grants secured from foreign sources, subject to the provisions of existing laws and the applicable grant agreements.
   
   
3. Repayment or amortization of loans including accrued interest thereon, may be financed from the income of the projects or services and from the regular income of the local government unit, which must be provided for and appropriated regularly in its annual budget until the loan and the interest thereon shall have been fully paid.

Sec. 302. Financing, Construction, Maintenance, Operation, and Management of Infrastructure Projects by the Private Sector. -

1. Local government units may enter into contracts with any duly prequalified individual contractor, for the financing, construction, operation, and maintenance of any financially viable infrastructure facilities, under the build-operate-and-transfer agreement, subject to the applicable provisions of Republic Act Numbered Sixty-nine hundred fifty-seven (R.A. No. 6957) authorizing the financing, construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure projects by the private sector and the rules and regulations issued thereunder and such terms and conditions provided in this Section.
   
   
2. Local government units shall include in their respective local development plans and public investment programs priority projects that may be financed, constructed, operated and maintained by the private sector under this Section. It shall be the duty of the local government unit concerned to disclose to the public all projects eligible for financing under this Section, including official notification of duly registered contractors and publication in newspapers of general or local circulation and in conspicuous and accessible public places. Local projects under the build-operate-and-transfer agreement shall be confirmed by the local development councils.
   
   
3. Projects implemented under this Section shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
   
   
   1. The provincial, city, or municipal engineer, as the case may be, upon formal request in writing by the local chief executive, shall prepare the plans and specifications for the proposed project, which shall be submitted to the Sanggunian for approval.
      
      
   2. Upon approval by the Sanggunian of the project plans and specifications, the provincial, city, or municipal engineer shall, as the case may be, cause to be published once every week for two (2) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) local newspaper which is circulated in the region, province, city or municipality in which the project is to be implemented, a notice inviting all duly qualified contractors to participate in a public bidding for the projects so approved. The conduct of public bidding and award of contracts for local government projects under this Section shall be in accordance with this Code and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.

           In the case of a build-operate-and-transfer agreement, the contract shall be awarded to the lowest complying bidder whose offer is deemed most advantageous to the local government and based on the present value of its proposed tolls, fees, rentals, and charges over a fixed term for the facility to be constructed, operated, and maintained according to the prescribed minimum design and performance standards, plans, and specifications. For this purpose, the winning contractor shall be automatically granted by the local government unit concerned the franchise to operate and maintain the facility, including the collection of tolls, fees, rentals, and charges in accordance with subsection (c-4) hereof.
      
      In the case of a build-operate-and-transfer agreement, the contract shall be awarded to the lowest complying bidder based on the present value of its proposed schedule of amortization payments for the facility to be constructed according to the prescribed minimum design and performance standards, plans, and specifications.
      
      

   3. Any contractor who shall undertake the prosecution of any project under this Section shall post the required bonds to protect the interest of the province, city, or municipality, in such amounts as may be fixed by the Sanggunian concerned and the provincial, city, or municipal engineer shall not, as the case may be, allow any contractor to initiate the prosecution of projects under this Section unless such contractor presents proof or evidence that he has posted the required bond.
      
      
   4. The contractor shall be entitled to a reasonable return of its investment in accordance with its bid proposal as accepted by the local government unit concerned.

           In the case of a build-operate-and-transfer agreement, the repayment shall be made by authorizing the contractor to charge and collect reasonable tolls, fees, rentals, and charges for the use of the project facility not exceeding those proposed in the bid and incorporated in the contract: Provided, That the local government unit concerned shall, based on reasonableness and equity, approve the tolls, fees, rentals and charges: Provided, further, That the imposition and collection of tolls, fees, rentals and charges shall be for a fixed period as proposed in the bid and incorporated in the contract which shall in no case exceed fifty (50) years: Provided, finally, That during the lifetime of the contract, the contractor shall undertake the necessary maintenance and repair of the facility in accordance with standards prescribed in the bidding documents and in the contract.
      
           In the case of a build-operate-and-transfer agreement, the repayment shall be made through amortization payments in accordance with the schedule proposed in the bid and incorporated in the contract. In case of land reclamation or construction of industrial estates, the repayment plan may consist of the grant of a portion or percentage of the reclaimed land or the industrial estate constructed.
      
      

   5. Every infrastructure project undertaken under this Section shall be constructed, operated, and maintained by the contractor under the technical supervision of the local government unit and in accordance with the plans, specifications, standards, and costs approved by it.

      The provincial, city or municipal legal officer shall, as the case may be, review the contracts executed pursuant to this Section to determine their legality, validity, enforceability and correctness of form.

Sec. 303. Remedies and Sanctions. - Local government units shall appropriate in their respective annual budgets such amounts as are sufficient to pay the loans and other indebtedness incurred or redeem or retire bonds, debentures, securities, notes and other obligations issued under this Title: Provided, That failure to provide the appropriations herein required shall render their annual budgets inoperative.

	Title THREE	Table of Contents	Title FIVE