BAGUIO CITY: Around 2.4 million jobs, particularly in the construction sector, are expected with the P15 billion in prospective investments made between China and the Philippines during President Rodrigo Duterte’s state visit to Beijing.
In his two-day trip to Tokyo, Duterte is expected to close the deal for the financing of the envisioned Mindanao Railway project, Manila Bulletin quoted the Labor group Associated Labor Unions (ALU) as saying.
“These projects are expansive and comprehensive that if it pushes through we estimate it would create an immediate 2.4 million jobs for Filipinos over a period of three years. If these are constructed altogether at the same time, we might need additional skills, especially those skilled Filipino OFWs repatriated from Saudi Arabia as a result of Saudization,” Alan Tanjusay, ALU spokesperson, reportedly said.
The policy saw Saudi Arabia giving local jobseekers priority and preference. An estimated 700,000 skilled and professional Filipino workers have been affected since it was implemented in June 2011, the report said.
“Aside from Filipino construction workers who would directly benefit from these investments, we are looking at the allied job opportunities that will be created as a result of the construction of projects. Small and medium businesses will start to converge around these projects to cater to the needs of the workers, engineers, architects, as well as the material needs of the projects itself,” ALU added.
