Revival of glory years in construction export pushed

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The Philippines hopes to bring back the glory of the 1970s when the Philippines was a significant player in construction in the global market, particularly the Middle East.

Sid Consunji, chairman of the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (PCOB) said this would only happen through the promotion and growth of Filipino companies in the construction and related engineering services, including architecture and design, in the overseas market.

These were the highlights of the Philippines- UAE High Level Construction and Related Engineering Services Roundtable Meeting held last February 10 in Dubai.

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In the 1970s, about 300 construction companies were exporting services to the overseas markets. But the number has dwindled to 20s in 2017, according to the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines.

During the roundtable meeting, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez highlighted the Philippines’ expertise in construction.

“Since the 1970s, the Philippines has been a major corporate exporter of technical and managerial expertise in construction, contributing largely to the economic development of Filipinos, bringing foreign exchange earnings and huge employment opportunities”, Lopez said.

Lopez cited the benefit of partnering or outsourcing to Filipino construction companies instead of hiring individual construction workers, which relieves Emirati companies off of the pressure of tedious business processes.

Emaar Properties, one of the largest and prominent property developers in the UAE, in a virtual business meeting held in December 2021 noted that while many Filipino engineers and skilled workers are employed in the country, they would want to see Filipino construction and architecture and engineering firms taking part in the UAE construction market.

Hamid Mohammed Bin Salem, secretary-general of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry secretary-general, said Filipinos need to be more active to take part in the Middle East construction market.

He added that while Filipinos are known for their politeness, they must be aggressive in collaborating with UAE and other countries.

He suggested a more frequent exchange of visits between both countries, focused on the construction and infrastructure sectors.

Expressing keen interest to see Philippine corporate exporters of construction and related engineering services participate in the UAE market, LC&Partners Project Management & Engineering, Dubai Properties, Khatib & Alahi Consolidated Engineering Company, City Creek Construction, Emaar Development PJSC, DC Pro Engineering LLC, WJ Groundwater Dubai, Dubai Municipality, National Engineering Bureau, Dubai Department of Municipalities and Transport, and the UAE Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, among others, engaged in meaningful discussions among government and business representatives of both countries.

Meanwhile, Lopez said the Philippines signed three letters of intent and one memorandum of understanding covering $580 million investments from UAE firms in retail of medical equipment, dairy production, theme park development and renewable energy projects.

These would generate 3,920 employment opportunities in the Philippines.

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