Lopez: ‘Build Build Build’ to boost trade, investment
THE government’s “Build Build Build” infrastructure program will help facilitate greater trade and investment in the Philippines, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Thursday.
At the Philippine Construction Industry Congress in Pasay City, Lopez said the program would “open access to new markets” and “minimize trade and logistics costs.”
“These, in turn, will support our overall efforts to generate decent employment and job opportunities for our countrymen,” he added.
Citing figures from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Build Build Build will also create an additional 820,000 jobs.
“More jobs are expected to be created in the construction sector under the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program, and Filipinos will be high on the priority list of employment opportunities,” Lopez claimed.
The Trade chief said that, as of the first half of the year, the construction industry’s share to total employment is 9.3 percent, which translates to 3.826 million workers.
“The construction industry is in the limelight following the government’s aggressive commitment to approve and implement more big-ticket infrastructure projects,” he added.
According to him, the construction industry’s share to GDP climbed to 6.5 percent in January to June, from 6.2 percent in the same period last year.
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