Worker shortage affects ‘Build, Build, Build’ – Duterte

Construction is in full swing at the MRT 7 site along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Job seekers can now search and apply at ease for the thousands of job opportunities under the Build Build Build (BBB) Program of the Duterte administration. The jobs will be offered by different contractors and sub-contractors involved in building big-ticket infrastructure projects under the BBB.INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, Philippines – The country’s shortage of skilled workers is to blame for the delay in the implementation of infrastructure projects under the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program, President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday.

“Itong Build, Build, Build, medyo atrasado.  Walang trabahante,” Duterte said in a speech here during the initial campaign sortie of his PDP-Laban party.

In Memorandum Circular 57, the Palace said unfinished government infrastructure projects “cause great inconvenience and serious damage to the prejudice of the general public, and adversely affect the delivery of basic services.”

READ: Duterte reminds gov’t agencies on timely completion of infra projects

Duterte’s MC 57 came amid the economic team’s bid to exempt around P500 billion worth of big-ticket infrastructure projects from the government spending ban during the campaign period for the 2019 midterm elections.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is banning all public works construction and the release of public funds from March 29 to May 12. / gsg