(REUTERS/ file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Around three million workers will be needed to complete the mega infrastructure projects under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan said on Tuesday.
Bonoan said that the DPWH is currently operating on a capital outlay of more than P800 billion and is working on 70,000 big and small contracts across the country.
“Siguro ang requirement namin dito na threshold na program namin is almost about more than three million labor force ‘no that will be comprising of skilled and unskilled people ‘no on the year to year basis. And ang sabi ko nga kanina, this is just the start of the big infrastructure development program of the country,” said Bonoan in a Malacañang briefing.
(Our estimated requirement in our program is almost three million workers, skilled and unskilled, on a year-to-year basis. As I said earlier, this is just the start of the big infrastructure development program of the country.)
According to Bonoan, the private sector will provide the workers through contractors and suppliers.
The laborers’ training, however, will be conducted in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
“There are other infrastructure programs of government. They are big. Including the Department of Transportation, they have big projects as well that are going to be implemented starting this year and all the way to the term of the President,” he added.
Marcos is keen on an infrastructure boom during his term. As part of the government’s “Build Better More” program, Marcos has approved P9 trillion worth of high-impact projects, including rehabilitating the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.