By Ellalyn de Vera Ruiz
An association of real estate, housing, and infrastructure developers appealed to the government on Tuesday to allow the resumption of construction activities under a "worksite quarantine lockdown."
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Noel Cariño, national president of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders' Associations Inc. , said they have already presented to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and other agencies involved in the national action plan under Republic Act 11469, the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law their proposal.
"Developers, contractors, and builders are proposing that instead of a community lockdown, why not implement a worksite quarantine lockdown? There are projects that can resume activities and at the same time strictly observe lockdown protocols on mobility and social distancing," Cariño said in an interview on DZBB .
He estimated the construction workforce at about 4 million.
"Through this scheme, we can help the skilled construction workers either at home jobless or stranded on project sites to become productive. As the workers will be earning again, the pressure on the government to support the jobless workers at the moment will also be lessened," he added.
Cariño said displaced and returned skilled overseas Filipino workers could also be deployed locally, citing the quarantine period as an opportunity to fast track critical government projects.
He noted that housing and real estate constructions are major pump-primers that can contribute significantly to the continuity of construction activities and stimulate the economy by positively affecting upstream and downstream industries, including employment and tax generation.