The partial relocation of the American military base in Okinawa, Japan to the tiny Pacific island of Guam has stirred up the interest of a number of Filipino companies. The massive development, which could cost up to $15 billion in six years, this early has attracted over a thousand Guamanian and foreign companies, including those from the Philippines.
Filipino manpower and construction enterprises joined the initial batch of companies that signed up in the series of industry forums lined up by the US island territory in April. No major Filipino company, except for EEI Corp., joined the forum in Guam.
The Manila round of the industry forum on Tuesday, however, drew some major Philippine companies, including Petron Corp., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Stradcom Corp., Penta Capital Investment Corp. and representatives of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Chemical Industries of the Philippines.
Guam Gov. Felix Camacho said the island would require 15,000 workers, preferably Filipinos, for the infrastructure buildup to accommodate about 25,000 US Marines, soldiers, family members and civilian employees from the Okinawa military base. Guam, with a current population of nearly 200,000, has to expand its airport and seaport, build more roads and bridges and provide other facilities for the US military personnel and their dependents.
Filipino health care personnel will also be in demand when Guam transforms itself into a major US military base in the Pacific.”Guam is substantially underserved in health care services. Filipino nurses that have passed the requisite US licensure examinations and Filipino doctors that have US board certifications are qualified to apply,” says Camacho. By Rey Enano - Manila Standard Today
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