TRADE DEPT UPBEAT ON PH CONSTRUCTION PROSPECTS

THE Philippines’ so-called Golden Age of Infrastructure presents great prospects for the construction industry to show its capability to participate in nation-building, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

His statement came after the government committed to approve and implement more major infrastructure projects.

It also came as investments in the sector reached P627.4 billion last year. Of this amount, P162.7 billion was from public infrastructure spending and P464.7 billion, from private-sector construction.

Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, who heads the Competitive- ness and Ease of Doing Business Group, said greater consumer market conditions resulted in these investments.

“With massive support from the government, we know that contractors are willing, ready and able to group together for to implement big-ticket infrastructure projects,” she said.

The industry employs 3.86 million workers. There are 143,139 civil engineers, 90,747 mechanical engineers, 59,762 electrical engineers, 29,892 architects, 9,532 geodetic engineers, 8,559 master plumbers, 2,727 interior designers, 2,665 sanitary engineers, 345 landscape architects, 115 construction lessors and dealers, 91 lessor firms and 24 light equipment

“With the ramped-up infrastructure spending and anticipated roll-out of massive infrastructure projects, the industry would be needing” 2 million more workers “This means 2 million more jobs for our countrymen.”