CIAP vows to cut by half the processing of license applications

2022, which reflected the industry’s aspiration of a vibrant and globallycompetitive construction industry by the end of this administration.

Under the conceptual framework, CIAP aims to simplify and harmonize of rules and regulations and social responsibility and professionalism to create a more conducive business environment; enhance human capital development, improvement of planning process, improvement of infrastructure delivery process to strengthen the industry; and look for more financing opportunities through public-private partnerships.

To outline a roadmap anchored on these strategies, the event conducted two panel sessions: Financing the Build! Build! Build! Program, and Industry Gaps and Issues of the Construction Industry Stakeholders.

In her speech, Castelo said that President Duterte’s leadership in spearheading big-ticket construction projects has spurred economic and investment growth at a sizzling pace since the start of 2017, leading to more

The Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) will shorten contractor license applications and fast track construction contract dispute resolution among other streamlining measures aimed at easing the implementation of various construction projects in the country, especially those under the Duterte administration’s P8.4 trillion “Build Build Build” infrastructure program.

Atty. Ruth Castelo, DTI Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Ease of Doing Business Group (CEODBG) with CIAP under it for her direct supervision, told the recent 2nd Philippine Construction Congress that they are working on streamlining the licensing period for construction.

Castelo announced that contractor applications and upgrading will be shortened from 30 working days to 15 working days; renewals from 15 to 10; applications for special licenses from 7 to 5; and Category Trade/E applications from 10 to 3.

To create a more conducive business environment, Castelo said CIAP is also planning to open up more service centers across the country; fast-track construction contract dispute resolution and strengthen partnership with construction associations and government infra agencies.

The agency also looks to enhance capacitybuilding for human resources in the construction industry; promote and develop of Filipino contractor capabilities in the international market; and monitor and ensuring quality services from contractors through constructors' performance evaluation system (CPEs).

During the event, CIAP also rolled out the Conceptual Framework of the Construction Industry Roadmap 2017-2022 with the theme Ang Vision partnerships with other countries and topping expectations of private financial institutions.

“The government’s aggressive commitment to approve and implement more big-ticket infrastructure projects leads to more construction investments, along with higher consumer confidence, modest inflation, and interest rates, and improving labor market conditions,” she said.

During the first semester of 2017, the share of the construction industry in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is at 6.4 percent, accounting to a bulk of 271.6 billion pesos contribution of the construction industry.

In the same period, construction investments in real terms, amounted to 422.1 billion pesos, which is 35.3 percent of the 1.2 trillion pesos over all capital investments in the country. A total of 71 percent or 300.57 billion pesos comes from private construction activities, while the remaining 29 percent or 121.5 billion pesos is attributed from the government infrastructure spending.