PHILCONSTRUCT VISAYAS OPENS
Help us build, build, build.
This is the appeal of Undersecretary Cathy Cabral of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to stakeholders in the construction industry as she outlined the government’s ambitious infrastructure plan in the next five years, which is expected to usher in the “Golden Age of Infrastructure” in the country.
Cabral made her appeal during the opening of the Philconstruct 2017 on Thursday, where at least 2,000 construction players and representatives of the industry’s sectors attended.
“The government needs the construction industry. You are expected to continue playing a crucial role in the Philippines’ projected economic growth as we embark in this ambitious program,” she said as she cited the government’s plan to spend P8 trillion on infrastructure until 2020.
She said that the government would spend 5.3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) on infrastructure or about P850 billion for 2017 alone.
Cebu projects
In Cebu, the government projects include the 74-kilometer Cebu Expressway project which will reduce travel time from Naga City to Danao City from 3 hours to just 1 hour and 30 minutes; the planned 1.61-km four-lane Guadalupe-Lahug bypass road which will cost P500 million, and the feasibility study of the Mandaue-Consolacion bypass road, which will cut travel time from 1 hour to just 30 minutes.
“We now have the resources, we now have the budget, we now have the blueprint of development to catch up with our Asian neighbors and hope to become the Asian tiger that we are expected to be and we are capable of,” said Cabral.
She also challenged construction industry players especially the contractors to step up especially since the government could not implement these projects without the construction industry’s help.
She also asked if the construction industry could have the capability to absorb the projects that the government would implement.
She said that there are 9,444 contractors in the country but only 480 of that number are large contractors.
Despite this, she said she remained optimistic with the construction industry, which would continue to be vibrant in the next five years as the government would implement its flagship projects.
Philconstruct Visayas
The 8th Philconstruct Visayas yesterday gathered hundreds of attendees as 300 building and construction suppliers joined in introducing new technology in exhibits in one venue at the expo.
“Construction industry is the biggest contributor of growth in our region and through Philconstruct Visayas, we will continue bringing in new technologies to create opportunities and partnerships to further boost the economy not just here in Cebu but in the whole region,” said engineer Petrious Dakay, president of Cebu Contractors Association during the event.
The event is organized by Philconstruct Events, Exhibitions and Conferences Corp. (PEECC) together with Philippine Contractors Association and Philippine Philippine Society of Ventilating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers.
Aside from Cabral, Undersecretary Ruth Castelo of the Department of Trade and Industry-Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines also attended the opening of the construction expo.
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