The Bicol International Airport (BIA) in Albay, one of the administration's signature development programs under the "BUILD, BUILD, BUILD" initiative, is making rapid progress, with an overall progress rate of 79.94 per cent. The Department of Transportation (DoTr) said in a press release that the BIA building is progressing well after nearly 13 years of delays.  “Under the current administration of our strong-willed President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and with the visionary leadership of DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, the BIA project is finally moving at an accelerated pace,” the DOTR said in a press statement. The first pre-feasibility report for the Bicol International Airport (BIA) was completed in 1996, according to the DOTR, and the Notice to Proceed for the project's development was issued in 2003. However, real construction didn't start until 2016. Package 2A of the airport development programme, which includes the installation of landside facilities and other structures, is 93.71% finished as of 19 April 2021. Package 2B, which includes the building of the PTB and runway expansion, as well as the taxiway, drainage, and other site improvement work, is 64.61 per cent complete. The airport is expected to serve a total of two (2) million passengers per year once it is completed, which will undoubtedly increase air traffic and tourist arrivals in the city. The completion of this long-awaited major transportation project for Bicolanos, according to Secretary Tugade, is a powerful expression of President Duterte's willingness to see substantial change across regions, which he recognised and pressed for with the assistance and full cooperation of the DOTr aviation industry, as well as other government agencies and local government units. The airport, which is envisioned as a main development initiative under the "BUILD, BUIILD, BUIILD" scheme, will pave the way for Albay province and the Bicol Region to be turned into an economic powerhouse, benefiting Bicolanos for years to come with massive prospects for more employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, and a future tourism boom.

Excavation work to pave the way for the country's first subway line will begin later this year, according to a transportation official. Two of the 25 tunnel boring machines needed for the Metro Manila Subway Project have arrived in the region, according to Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan. The first phase of the project, which includes stations in East Valenzuela, Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora Avenue, and North Avenue, could be finished by 2023 or 2024, according to him. "We are expecting to start excavation by the 4th quarter of this year and that is going to start from our depot in Valenzuela heading southwards into Tandang Sora and eventually into North Avenue," Batan said. Site clearance activities, comprehensive infrastructure plans, and other arrangements were carried out after the groundbreaking ceremony in February 2019. The Philippine Railway Institute, which will train railway workers, is expected to open in 2022, according to Batan. By 2025 or 2026, the entire 34-kilometre line with 17 stations could be finished. Batan affirmed that the mega-underground project's building work would have negligible effects on traffic. "During construction, there will be some disruption," he said. "There will be some traffic control measures that will be installed, but that's it." The subway will also link to the North-South Commuter Railway, which will take riders as far as Laguna province, according to the undersecretary. "They will be physically interconnected," explained Batan. "Meaning, trains coming from underground in the subway will start emerging between FTI and Bicutan stations and can bring passengers all the way to the Calamba station of the North-South Commuter Rail." The subway network costs 356.97 billion dollars and is funded by Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced on Monday that the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project would have a comprehensive design by the end of the year. Secretary Mark Villar stated that they are currently working on the comprehensive design of the multibillion-dollar structure, which is part of the government's Inter-Island Linkage/Mega Bridge Program. “We already procured the feasibility study which is our major accomplishment but what we are working on now is the detailed engineering design,” he said during the Sulong Pilipinas 2021: Partners for Progress, a Pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Economic Development and Infrastructure Clusters’ Forum. Villar anticipated an "important milestone" in the project's comprehensive engineering architecture. "(This) means we will be ready for procurement,” he added. The bridge initiative, which is part of the government's Build, Build, Build program, entails the building of a 32.15-kilometre bridge with four lanes (two in each direction) that spans Manila Bay from Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan to Barangay Timalan in Naic, Cavite. The soon-to-be-largest and longest landmark bridge will be the faster land route between Cavite and Bataan, cutting travel time from Central Luzon to Southern Tagalog from five hours to 20 to 30 minutes at 60 kilometres per hour. The proposed bridge project consists of the following: Package 1 – Bataan Land Viaduct (5.04 km.), Package 2 – Northern Marine Viaduct (8 km.), Package 3 – Southern Marine Viaduct (12.6 km.), Package 4 – Approach Viaducts to Northern and Southern Navigation Channel Bridges (2.6 km.), Package 5 – Navigation Channel Bridges (2.6 km.), Package 6 – Cavite Land Viaduct (1.31 km.), and Package 7 – Ancillary Buildings. Meanwhile, according to Villar, three new bridges over the Pasig River are set to open this year. "The BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project is now 80 per cent complete. Travel time between BGC and Ortigas Central Business District will be reduced to 12 minutes. This year, we target to complete the construction of the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila. On the other hand, the Estrella Pantaleon Bridge connecting Makati and Mandaluyong is also expected to be finished by September this year,” he added.

Despite the current pandemic crisis, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar declared that the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will be completed in 2021. Secretary Mark A. Villar said the project's implementing office, the Department of Public Works and Highways' Unified Project Management Office - Roads Management Cluster 1 (UPMO-RMC 1), and contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation have worked together to ensure that the 3.39 billion peso project is finished by the fourth quarter. On Thursday, April 15, 2021, Secretary Villar visited the project and noted substantial progress in the design of the two-way four-lane bridge, which will soon become a new landmark landscape in Manila. In his briefing to Secretary Villar, Undersecretary for UPMO Operations Emil K. Sadain clarified that the temporary platforms will be lifted after the 70-meter Main Bridge with steel arch and support steel bowstring is pushed from pier 4 to pier 5, and the main bridge will be lowered to its final location within two (2) weeks. The average success of the project is about 60%. The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge Project entails the building of a 680-meter-long basket-handle tied steel arch bridge linking the historic district of Intramuros at Solana Street and Riverside Drive to the booming district of Binondo at Rentas Street/Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle dela Industria viaduct structure over Estero de Binondo. The arch bridge, which symbolizes the Philippines and China's friendly partnership, was built in accordance with new seismic architecture requirements and climate change considerations. The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge, as well as the ongoing Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in Makati/Mandaluyong, are both funded by a Chinese grant and are considered the first-ever infrastructure cooperation project between Filipinos and Chinese under the current administration. By providing additional fixed links and routes across the Pasig River, the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge would increase the capacity and reliability of Metro Manila's road transportation network. It would carry an additional 30,000 vehicles a day until completed, alleviating traffic congestion between Binondo and Intramuros. By decongesting traffic and lowering bridge repair costs, it would also prolong the existence of current Jones, Delpan, and MacArthur bridges. The scheme is part of the Metro Manila Logistics Improvement Program, which includes the construction of new bridges spanning the Pasig and Marikina Rivers, as well as the Manggahan Floodway, to solve the long-standing problem of traffic gridlock on major roads. Aside from the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge, DPWH-UPMO Operations aims to complete the Estrella Pantaleon Bridge linking Makati and Mandaluyong by the third quarter, as well as the Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, which is part of the BGC-Ortigas Center Link Project connecting Ortigas and Bonifacio Global City's business districts.

In the second quarter of this year, Megawide Development Corporation plans to begin construction on phase one of the Malolos-Clark Railway (MCR) network. The corporation believes that the government's implementation of big infrastructure programs such as the MCRP, the North-South Commuter Rail Project-South Line, and the Metro Manila subway system project would serve as catalysts for the economy to pick up. Megawide's infrastructure pivot was also made possible as a result of this. “Megawide will continue to leverage on its vertically integrated construction advantage to deliver much-needed infrastructure projects like the MCRP on time and with high quality and excellent workmanship. Together with our partners, we are ready to begin building a first-world railway that every Filipino deserves,” Megawide chairman and chief executive officer Edgar Saavedra said in a statement. Following a competitive bidding process, the company's Batching Plant, Formworks, and Construction Equipment and Logistics Services (CELS) companies are preparing to supply concrete and support facilities to a consortium of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (Hyundai E&C), Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd. (Dong-ah), and Megawide. Megawide will build two mobile batching plants in the region to ensure effective processing and supply of high-quality ready-mix concrete, whilst the formworks segment has already started erecting temporary facilities at the project site to house various equipment to satisfy the specifications. The total value of the contracts for the supplies ranges from PHP3.1 billion to PHP2.9 billion for concrete goods, PHP152 million for temporary installations, and PHP59 million for the original equipment procurement contract. To complement its state-of-the-art pre-cast technology, Megawide continues to expand the capability of its ancillary business units under its engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) platform. It has a 20-hectare industrial complex in Taytay, Rizal, that houses its main precast factory, as well as other ancillary businesses and a large stockyard. For large-scale projects, the firm also operates mobile and strategic site-based batching and pre-cast facilities. “We believe that on top of our expertise in construction and engineering services, our wide array of integrated EPC services attracts foreign partners as it also gives them access to world-class facilities and products at very competitive prices. This is our game plan all along and we are seeing the benefits as we are able to realize the value along the supply chain,” Saavedra said.   The MCRP is part of the Department of Transportation's 17-kilometre North-South Commuter Railway network, which will link New Clark City and Clark International Airport to Metro Manila and surrounding cities.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is concentrating not only on the civil work’s development of the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge Project but also on keeping the workplace secure and clean. DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said, "that at 86 per cent and with just a few more days to fully complete the new Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, we are mindful that a single case of COVID-19 in the project can lead to an interruption, if not total work stoppage" Secretary Villar recently issued revised guidelines in Department Order #30 for the implementation of ECQ, MECQ, GCQ, and MGCQ infrastructure projects, both public and private, during the public health crisis. "Although the bridge project is being rushed for completion in June 2021, it is critical that construction firms be proactive rather than reactive in dealing with the increased risk of illness from COVID-19," Secretary Villar added.  Emil K. Sadain, Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations, and UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 Project Manager Benjamin Bautista checked the physical progress of the bridge project on Monday, April 5, 2021, and the contractor's compliance with protocols that cover prevention, detection, and rapid response to maintain construction work continuity as workers who have been living in the barracks resume work after the Lenten season. “Let’s get to work healthy to get the job done”, Undersecretary Sadain reminded the contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation citing the current health situation, particularly in the NCR Plus bubble.   In his report to Secretary Villar, Undersecretary Sadain reported that the project is more than 12% ahead of time, having completed all bridge substructure works for abutments A and B on both sides and piers of the Makati approach bridge; the V-shaped piers for the Main Bridge; concrete box girder for the approach bridge; and the V-shaped piers for the Main Bridg; and two (2) prestressed concrete box girder segments using the traditional approach. Post-tensioning and grouting works, formworks and rebar installation for the closure section in the side spans, formworks installation for the 2-meter closure section in the main bridge span, and preparatory works for approach road construction on both sides are now the focus of bridge construction activities. The new 506-linear meter bridge, funded by China and introduced by the DPWH UPMO - Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral), would have a diameter of 21.65 meters, capable of four (4) lanes instead of two (2), and three-meter sidewalks on both sides. The P1.46 billion new Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, which is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2021, will handle 50,000 vehicles a day and minimize travel time between Mandaluyong and Makati to 12 minutes. The bridge will connect Estrella Street in Makati to Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong, helping to relieve traffic congestion on EDSA by providing an alternative route for motorists.

Fly ash is making its mark in the construction industry due to its eco-friendly features. It is possible for this building material to lessen air pollution in the long run? Coal is a natural dark brown or black sedimentary rock with graphite-like appearance. It is primarily used as fuel. It is composed of solid organic materials with some mineral components. It is formed from the accumulation of plant remains in sedimentary basin, and is altered to solid rock by heat and pressure during the basin’s development. The quality of coal varies according to the content of ash, impurities, and volatile matter which decreases as coal rank gets higher. Types of coal according to increasing rank (in terms of hardness, purity and heating value) are peat, lignite, subbituminous, bituminous and anthracite. Although coal is a major source of fuel and electricity through the years, in most environmental forums, coal is notorious for being responsible for a third of carbon monoxide emission worldwide from coal combustion. In other words, it is considered as the biggest contributor of global warming. [1] According to Department of Energy, the Philippines heavily relies on coal -- 44.5% of our power generation mix comes from coal. Worldwide, coal is an in-demand energy source and is often the cheapest fuel option. Coal demand in the Philippines is not only for power generation. In 2015, the cement industry used 15.22% of the country’s coal supply where 5% of the supply is used in the manufacturing of alcohol, sinter, rubber boots, paper, fertilizer production, chemical manufacturing, and smelting processes. [2] However useful and reliable as a fuel source and hydrocarbon source for industrial use, coal consumption needs to be monitored in order to prevent further air pollution. There are companies like GNPower who adopted green technologies in their coal power plant in Mariveles, Bataan. With the availability of clean coal technologies, the demand for coal remained steady despite environmental concerns of skeptics. But in general, the Philippines is largely a coal consuming country. [2] More on coal and green technologies, there are now clever innovations with coal that lessens its harmful impacts on the environment. One example is a solution made with one of coal’s byproducts called the “fly ash”. The irony is, one of the most harmful compounds on Earth also produces one of the largest green material resources in the construction industry.  The idea was explored in a study done by Mohammad Nadeem Akhtar and Nazia Tarannum. They published “Flyash as a Resource Material in Construction Industry: A Clean Approach to Environmental Management” on on 29 December 2018. They described how fly ash can lessen air pollution. In their study, Akhtar and Tarannum explained the properties of fly ash, its origin, its usefulness, and how utilizing it is a solution to waste management. “The maximum amount of electricity is produced by most of the thermal power plants by burning coal at their operating facilities. Due to this activity, various types of secondary materials are generated. Any material resulting from coal-combustion processes may be called as a coal-combustion product (CCP). Among different CCPs reported worldwide by coal-burning power plants, fly ash is the most common one. As per the characterization report, flyash is considered as a powdery material being collected by dust collectors installed in the thermal power plants with the use of coal as fuel. There are different problems related to fly ash like requirement of large area of land for disposal and toxicity caused by flyash which leach to groundwater. The study has established flyash as air and water pollution source. It is considered as waste that may act as a resource material in construction industry, thereby acting as a resource for waste and environment management. Till a decade back, flyash was treated as waste material worldwide, but now it is developed as an environment savior.” [4] Fly ash is a byproduct of burning coal. It is a siliceous and aluminous material which is on its own does not have the characteristics of cement. However, once we “combine it with moisture in a finely divided form”, it changes and becomes like cement. Thus, it can be used as a substitute for concrete. [3] Why is it eco-friendly? In the past when environmental practices were not yet standardized and monitored, fly ash was merely released to the air when coal is burned. This is indeed a harmful practice that contributed to air pollution. Imagine large amounts of heavy metals in the ash that is released in the atmosphere. Eventually, with the development of air quality monitoring and establishment of air pollution regulations, factories are now required to dispose fly ash properly and to use it for a second purpose. Fly ash is recycled by most construction professionals by adding lime and water. This becomes a cement substitute similar to Portland cement. The process of recycling fly ash helps reduce the carbon footprint in the utilization of coal. As a building material, fly ash has impressive workability and durability properties to concrete. It reduces its water demand by 10%. It also has spherical particles which acts as lubricants which improves paste flow. These are just some of the important features of fly ash which are useful in the production of blended cement. It is also considered an eco-friendly binder for construction. [3] Are there known disadvantages of using fly ash in the construction industry? Since fly ash comes from a toxic source, some critics have safety concerns about its use. Plus, leaching of toxic chemicals could contaminate the air and cause health problems to those nearby. However, there has been no major scientific discoveries or medical studies yet that proved of such adverse effects. Therefore, fly ash is still widely used in the cement industry to this day. According to Pinoy Builders website, “The bottomline is it’s important that more sustainable innovations such as fly ash concrete or rice husk ash cement substitutes are developed. As global warming continues to loom over us, the construction industry can play an important hand in combating the crisis.” [3]   References: [1] Retrieved from - https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/issues/coal/ [2] https://www.doe.gov.ph/coal-overview?ckattempt=1 [3] (21 Jan. 2021). Pinoy Builders. “Fly Ash: An Eco-Friendly Solution to Lessen Air Pollution” Retrieved from: https://pinoybuilders.ph/fly-ash-an-eco-friendly-solution-to-lessen-air-pollution/?fbclid=IwAR35JcaahO3sd9FjvhwJwKnZHNWzgdyITRfI1Q6C52nQ3HqKLKIor0dURUk [4] https://www.intechopen.com/books/sustainable-construction-and-building-materials/flyash-as-a-resource-material-in-construction-industry-a-clean-approach-to-environment-management

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) plans to open the Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, which is a key component of the BGC-Ortigas Road Link Project, to the public in May 2021. The Sta Monica-Lawton Bridge, the superstructure that will link Lawton Avenue in Makati City and Sta. Monica Street in Pasig City across the Pasig River, is already completed, according to DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar. Added Villar, “With a few more needed finishing works, we’re very excited to partially open a new connectivity between Bonifacio Global City and Ortigas business districts to the public by the second quarter.”   Emil K. Sadain, DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations, said in his report to Secretary Villar that aside from the finishing touches at the Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, whose centre main span was constructed of segmental box girders using the balanced cantilever building technique, Brixton Street (corner Reliance Street) to Fairlane Street is being rehabilitated and widened by UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 with a total length of 476.577 meters, a 159.629-meter approach road at abutment 1, and a 125 meter up and down the ramp between piers 8 and 13. Undersecretary Sadain, UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 (UPMO-RMC 1) Project Director Virgilio C. Castillo, Project Managers Benjamin A. Bautista and Ricarte S. Maalac, and Engr. Reynaldo S.L. Perez of Persan Construction inspected the four-lane two-way bridge. The building of the Lawton Avenue – Global City Viaduct, which will run from Lawton Avenue to the entrance of BGC, is also part of the project with the ongoing preparation for bored piling at BGC and road widening on 8th Avenue. The Metro Manila Logistics Network's 1.367-kilometre Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas Center Link Road Project will reduce the one-hour driving between the BGC and Ortigas business districts to 12 minutes. The whole project, which will increase accessibility between the cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong, Taguig, and Makati while also alleviating traffic congestion on EDSA and C-5, is set to be completed by September 2021. 

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the Common Station in Metro Manila is 48.5 per cent complete. The DOTr said in a Facebook post that the Common Station, which is expected to be completed by December this year, will have a 13,700 square meter concourse area that will "seamlessly interconnect" the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), and the Metro Manila Subway. “This is a long-overdue transport infrastructure project that would have considerably eased mobility of commuters in Metro Manila, particularly along the main transit routes, from Baclaran to Monumento to the entire length of Edsa,” the DOTr said. Area B, or the atrium, of the Common Station, is currently “100 per cent complete,” while the rest of the project is being built at a faster pace and around the clock. The project is nearing completion after nearly a decade of delays caused by "location problems." “DOTr Secretary [Arthur] Tugade deftly navigated through the dispute of various stakeholders of the project, including two conglomerates who were vying for a better vantage point,” the DOTr said. In Quezon City, the Common Station is near the intersection of Epifanio de Los Santos Avenue (Edsa) and North Avenue. The station is expected to service about 478,000 passengers per day once it is completed. PNA (People's National Association).

Following the introduction of tighter quarantine measures in the National Capital Region (NCR) and four neighbouring provinces from March 22 to April 4, 2021, expanded government infrastructure investment is much more important. The government imposed a tougher general population quarantine (GCQ) for the National Capital Region (NCR), Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, and Bulacan for two weeks on the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force (AITF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to help resolve the increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said “tighter restrictions could slow down economic recovery.”  “The resulting reduction in the capacity and scale of some affected business and industries, somewhat reverting back to levels a few weeks ago, would slow down the pace of economic recovery,” he said. According to Ricafort, recent increases in Covid-19 infections, which peaked at 8,019 on March 22, set a new high “would also result in fewer people going out as a matter of prudence and would result in reduced consumer spending and slower pick-up in economic/business activities.”  Although the current initiatives are more restrictive than those introduced in recent weeks, he said they are nevertheless "milder" than those implemented last year. This is to “lower new Covid-19 cases and better manage Holy Week, which is a potential superspreader event as people travel, meet, and congregate while keeping the economy as open as possible while observing strict health protocols.” He said, “Thus, government spending, especially on infrastructure, would be needed more to pump-prime the economy, as a result, also in preparation for the 2022 presidential elections a little over a year from now. Reduction in new Covid-19 cases and further arrival and rollout of Covid-19 vaccines would be key to further justify reopening of the economy to support economic recovery prospects.” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, meanwhile, confirmed that his department “has always advocated a policy of conserving all our resources in anticipation of a recurrence of the contagion, in order for the country to be able to make the appropriate response at any given time.”  “We will examine all available facts and weigh the knowledgeable opinions from domestic and international sources to arrive at a recommendation for action,” he added.

The Philippine Competition Commission announced that it had approved a new joint venture for a reclamation project in Manila Bay between the city government of Manila and another private partner. The PCC Mergers and Acquisitions Office found no significant lessening of competition from the formation of a joint venture between JBros Construction Corp. and the city government of Manila for the “Manila Horizon” Reclamation Project, similar to the recent approval of Manila Waterfront City. “The transaction is a new area of investment formed for the creation of a residential and commercial real estate development project. This will expand the existing market and likely create an opportunity for the emergence of new markets for commercial and residential real estate within the City of Manila,” the anti-trust body said. There were no impacted consumers or business operation in the relevant regional market, according to the commission. Horizon Manila is a 419-hectare raw-land reclamation and construction project situated south of the Manila-Pasay boundary and east of Roxas Boulevard on the foreshore and offshore areas of Manila Bay. The aim of the project is to create jobs and business opportunities in Manila. JBros Construction is a general and large-scale construction company that has worked on notable projects such as the GSIS building and the National Museum of History. JBros Construction will add money and experience as part of the proposal. Manila, a densely populated metropolis, will contribute access to local waters on which the plant will be built. To build the proposal, the parties formed a contractual joint venture with the purpose of sharing gains, costs, and losses. The resulting unincorporated joint venture would be ruled by a 50/50 split, with Manila getting 51 per cent and JBros Construction getting 49 per cent. Only companies and businesses whose acquisition value meets the thresholds set out in the Philippine Competition Act, such as the Manila Horizon, are subject to PCC merger approval clearance. The PCC's approval is limited to the effects on competition in the affected areas' industrial and residential real estate construction sectors. The said joint venture is the PCC's 212th deal, and the third for reclamation projects, following the approval of joint ventures between Manila Waterfront City and City of Manila and Pasay Harbor City and Pasay City. The PCA requires the PCC, as the country's antitrust regulator, to investigate mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures of companies in all industries.

Building and construction activity remains poor due to low demand, as shown by a nearly 50% decrease in the value of building works in the fourth quarter of 2020. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority's Construction Statistics from Approved Building Permits, the total value of constructions fell nearly 47% to P63 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020, down from P118 billion in 2019. In addition, the figure was lower than the P67.7 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2020. This is despite the fact that the number of building projects fell to 31,026 in the fourth quarter of 2020, down from 39,242 in the same quarter of 2019. Despite the economy's gradual reopening since last year, demand for construction has yet to resume because workers' capacity remains restricted. Residential construction projects accounted for 71 per cent of all constructions during the time, with 21,892 overall. This form of building, the majority of which were single-family homes, shrank by 20% each year. In addition, the value of residential construction fell by 41% to P32.6 billion. Non-residential projects, mostly commercial structures, have decreased by 29%. At that time, it accounted for 15% of all constructions. During that time, the value of non-residential constructions fell by 53.3 per cent to P26 billion. The rest were changes to existing buildings, such as extensions, alterations, and repairs. Calabarzon continued to have the most construction activity, with 6,368 constructions accounting for 21% of the total. Ilocos and Central Luzon came in second and last, respectively. However, the National Capital Region, with P13.6 billion in revenue, accounted for 22% of the total.

D.M. CONSUNJI, Inc. (DMCI) has begun construction on the P10.5 billion Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas water reclamation facility project. The construction company said in a statement that the plant would be able to handle 205 million litres of wastewater every day and will be operational by the third quarter of 2024. The multi-billion-peso water reclamation plant, according to DMCI, will be the country's largest, with 1.2 million households in south Caloocan, Malabon, and Navotas projected to benefit from it. “This is an enormous undertaking because it involves expanding the capacity of a 40-year old facility by over 600%,” DMCI President and Chief Executive Officer Jorge A. Consunji said.  The water reclamation facility is one of Maynilad's large-scale, multi-year capital investment programs, according to DMCI. The Dagat-Dagatan sewage treatment plant in Caloocan City will be rehabilitated and expanded as part of the initiative. The plant was built in the 1980s and has a daily wastewater capacity of 26 million litres. When the project reaches its peak in the first quarter of 2023, DMCI plans to employ about 1,000 direct and indirect employees. “This facility also represents two milestones for DMCI. Aside from being our largest wastewater project, to date, it is our first partnership with JFE Engineering Corp. of Japan,” Consunji said. JFE Holdings' engineering division, JFE Engineering, was ranked in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. Caloocan, Pasay, Paraaque, Las Pias, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, Malabon, Manila, Makati, and Quezon City, as well as parts of Cavite province such as Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario, receive water from Maynilad. Maynilad is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which owns a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

  MPCALA Holdings, Inc. said that a 7.2-kilometre portion of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) between the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road Interchange and the Silang East Interchange could open by the third quarter of this year. At an online briefing on Thursday, MPCALA President and General Manager Roberto V. Bontia announced that the latest chapter, known as Subsection 5, is scheduled to be finished third quarter this year.  Subsection 5 is part of the 45-kilometre CALAX expressway that runs from Kawit, Cavite to Mamplasan Interchange in Bian, Laguna, and is currently 83 per cent complete. “As soon as the right of way is handed over to us, we will double our construction efforts to avoid any unnecessary delay,” Bontia said. Subsection 5 was inspected by Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar and MPCALA Holdings executives on Thursday. Villar said, “As travel restrictions are slowly but surely being lifted, this new subsection of CALAX will help accelerate economic progress in Laguna and Cavite by providing interconnection between the two provinces of Region 4-A. This segment is crucial since it is expected to serve almost 5,000 cars per day, and will ease traffic along Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road once opened.” Villar also mentioned that obtaining the right of way has been difficult for the company and the Department of Public Works and Highways. “We are giving our full effort to deliver and eventually open with as little deviation to the original timeline as possible,” he said.  CALAX's first segments, which are currently operational, run from Mamplasan in Laguna to Santa Rosa. According to Villar, the operating segments service about 10,000 vehicles a day. “We target to finish the whole… stretch of CALAX and serve 50,000 cars before 2022 ends,” he said. The project is divided into eight sections: Kawit to Open Canal (section 1), Open Canal to Governor's Drive (section 2), Governor's Drive to Silang (section 3), Silang to Silang East (section 4), Silang East to Santa Rosa (section 5) and Santa Rosa to Mamplasan (section 6). (subsections 6, 7, & 8). The P35.43 billion project is expected to minimize travel time between the Manila-Cavite Expressway and the South Luzon Expressway from 2.5 hours to 45 minutes when fully operational. MPCALA Holdings is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., which is one of three main Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

The firm that manages the operations and maintenance of Clark International Airport, Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) Corp., plans to open the airport's new passenger terminal building to commercial domestic flights in July with "contactless passenger solutions," according to its top official. “It will open by July for domestic operations,” LIPAD Chief Executive Officer Bi Yong S. Chungunco said.  She stated that the interior design of the building is well underway. LIPAD intends to enforce a "silent airport scheme," with the aim of making the airport the "quietest" in the Philippines. This ensures that boarding and departure calls will no longer be made unless there is an emergency. In a statement, the firm said, “Travelers will rely on posted updates for quick reference. Passengers will be more at ease with the options that have no face-to-face interaction. Among these are the common-use self-service kiosks (CUSS) and the self-service bag drops. Travellers can check-in at these kiosks, shared by other airlines and that are without the need for ground staff.” Chungunco said the interior design of the new passenger terminal building would be "deeply intuitive," as the company strives to offer passengers a sense of familiarity. “For travellers to be fully relaxed and at ease, the processes must not be confusing. Travellers of all kinds have varying backgrounds and such a design allows for each traveller to have that feeling of being guided through the process through the interplay of finer details, even with the protocols for safe distancing and all necessary measures to ensure passenger safety in a pandemic,” LIPAD said. Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructure Ltd. constructed the new terminal building, which can handle 8 million passengers a year. Clark airport currently has a passenger capacity of 4.2 million per year. The old passenger terminal building, according to Chungunco, could be turned into a vaccination centre.