Construction

The first package of the comprehensive tax-reform program (CTRP) now pending in Congress will serve as the “cornerstone” of the funding for the government’s ambitious infrastructure program of the government which will require P6 trillion over the medium term. 

Cofinancing operations of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) hit a new record in 2016, exceeding the $14 billion mark and reflecting the importance of partnerships in addressing Asia and the Pacific’s continuously growing development needs, says a new ADB report. 

The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) recently approved the P62.4-million Casa Coco Hotel projects of Altipeak Land Development Inc. and the P29.1 million Eco Container Hotel of Ecohotels Inc. These projects qualified as tourist accommodation facilities under the current Investments Priorities Plan (IPP). 

The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved the P48.5 Billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) project of MPCALA Holdings, Inc. (MHI), qualifying as an Infrastructure of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project under the Preferred Activities of the current Investment Priorities Plan (IPP). 

The Department of Trade and Industry-Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (DTI-Ciap) held its 2nd dialogue with the key players in the industry to keep up with the latest in the Philippine construction scene. 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a new procurement framework that will cut down on procurement processing times and improve quality. 

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar announced that the P1.6 billion Urdaneta Western Bypass Road Project being constructed parallel to the Manila North Road to ease the traffic congestion in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan will be complement by before the year ends. 

The government launched the newly established Philippine Infrastructure Transparency Portal: http://www.build.gov.ph/, highlighting several Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects that are already on different stages of the current PPP pipeline. 

At least 5,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFW), mostly employed by construction companies in Saudi Arabia, but have not been paid of their salaries and currently stranded at various cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), will be repatriated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). 

The Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) is constructing six new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in various parts of its West concession area to expedite the provision of sewerage and sanitation services for its customers.