Local construction companies hope to get a big share of the contracts in the $15-billion military buildup in Guam.
Anthony Fernandez, president of the Philippine Constructors Association Inc., told reporters yesterday that local contractors would likely be tapped as sub-contractors in the Guam construction with American and Japanese companies getting all the big projects.
“I am hopeful that Philippine contractors would get a big share of the contracts in Guam. A lot of the local companies are interested. The Guam buildup is a one-time opportunity that we should not miss,” said Fernandez at the sidelines of the business forum on “Opportunities in Guam for the Philippine Construction Industry” in Ortigas yesterday.
Senator Judith Guthertz, chairman of the committee on Guam Military Build-Up, said Guam would need at least 15,000 Filipino skilled workers until 2014, excluding projects funded by the Japanese government.
She said every billion dollars spent on the project would generate 5,000 to 10,000 new construction jobs.
The Guam project, however, poses a major challenge to the local construction industry.
“This is a challenge for us, not only the project itself but the possible drain on our human resources. We have a lot of engineers and skilled workers but these resources are not infinite. We need to keep training our people, we have to replace our workers that are being deployed abroad,” said Fernandez.
He said with global economies starting to pick up, demand for skilled Filipino workers such as engineers and welders would increase from traditional markets like the Middle East and even from neighboring countries in the region.
“Three to four years ago, the construction industry was hit hard by the exodus of skilled workers overseas but at the same time, we cannot hold these workers from pursuing more better opportunities abroad,” said Fernandez.
He said given the strong demand for Filipino workers, the challenge now was how the local industry could serve a growing market for such skills sets.
“There is the Guam buildup and at the same time, there is the foreseen surge in construction activity in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries now that global economies are recovering. On top of that, there is the constant domestic construction requirements that we have to address,” said Fernandez.
He encouraged industry players to take advantage of the opportunity and be ready to meet the requirements of the US government.
“It is not as simple as taking a plane to Guam. The standards would be different, rules would be different,” said Fernandez.
Meanwhile, Guthertz said qualified US residents would have a first crack at the jobs to be generated out of the military buildup.
“We will look for qualified US residents first before hiring other nationalities. But it is not as simple for American workers to uproot their lives and work in Guam. Besides, the US economy is starting to pick up so there should be other opportunities in the job market,” said Guthertz.
She said contractors who want to participate in the buildup must sincerely commit to field skilled workers and take care of them before sending these workers overseas. She said the workers must have contracts, adequate housing facilities and other benefits.
“Guam does not have enough skilled construction workers to address the buildup requirement,” said Guthertz. by Elaine Ramos Alanguilan - Manila Standard Today
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