Review of construction industry roadmap set

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is undertaking a review of the targets set under the construction industry roadmap 2030 given the disruptions brought by the pandemic.

“Because of the work stoppage brought by the pandemic, we recognize the need to review our targets for the construction industry,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said during the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines Virtual Congress held yesterday.

Under the Philippine Construction Industry Roadmap 2020 to 2030 launched last year, the aim is to boost the sector’s contribution to the economy to reach P13 trillion from P2.3 trillion in 2018.

With the implementation of the roadmap, job opportunities in the sector are projected to reach seven million by 2030 from just four million in 2018.

Lopez said the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, along with the lockdowns implemented to prevent the spread of the virus, took a toll on both the economy and the construction industry.

He said the recent typhoons also delayed some construction projects.

Despite the setbacks, he said the construction industry is still considered the best driver to economic recovery and growth.

As such, he said there is a need to promote the growth of the industry which includes the continued push for legislation of a long-term infrastructure plan to ensure the continuity of programs.

“Through the 30-year Infrastructure Master Development Plan, we can provide a stronger, more solid, and stable infrastructure for the Filipino people through generations,” he said.

As part of the support for the continued growth of the construction industry, the DTI in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment  launched an interactive online platform for job matching in the construction industry.

Lopez said the platform would address competency gaps through training programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Construction Manpower Development Foundation and other partner institutions.

“On the part of government, this knowledge database will provide vital information that will enable policy makers to come up with future-ready construction human resource strategies, plans and programs,” he said.

He said the DTI would also continue to push for the upskilling of industry professionals and workers on new technology applications, noting that while the industry makes up 17 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, it has the second lowest productivity due to the lack of massive adoption of digital technology.

To allow the construction industry to gain a foothold in markets abroad, he said the Philippine Overseas Construction Board is also participating in trade negotiations.

For ease of doing business in the construction industry, an online platform has been rolled out earlier for the processing of applications and issuance of contractor’s license.

Through the platform, documentary requirements for license renewal were reduced to nine from 24, and to three from 10 for joint venture special licenses.

Since the platform’s launch in June, it has enabled the renewal and issuance of over 7,500 digital contractors’ licenses.