SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – The Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB), Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF) of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), recently concluded a successful joint business mission to Sydney, Australia on April 28 – May 4, 2024, together with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) led by its Chairperson Atty. Charito Zamora and Philippine construction companies namely: Kinetic Phils. Electrical Construction, Inc.; R.D. Interior Junior Construction; PLD Construction and Development, Inc.; and Borja Construction Coordinates & Allied Services, Inc.  The business delegation participated in the Sydney Build 2024 Expo at the International Convention Center, Sydney from May 1-2, 2024.

The business mission to Australia consisted of the country’s first participation in the Sydney Build exhibition, a solid line up of business meetings between the Filipino delegates and its Australian counterparts,  a special session on the “Philippine Advantage on Architecture and Engineering Services Outsourcing (AESO)” featuring the POCB and PRC, and a forum on “Building Partnership Opportunities”  as the main event that presented PCAB’s proposed amendments to the Philippine Contractors Licensing Law or Republic Act No. 4566 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

In her opening remarks at the PH Forum, Philippine Consul General Charmaine Aviquivil stated, “Australia is the Philippines’ newest Strategic Partner in the Indo-Pacific region following the recent signing of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Australia, a testament to a stronger and deeper relationship between the two countries.”

Relatedly, Engr. Sergie Retome emphasized that “the Philippines has leveled the playing field for foreign contractors allowing them to participate in privately funded projects under a Regular Contractor’s License.”

Special Trade Representative Alma Argayoso of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Sydney highlighted the robust economy of the country and “the game-changing policy reforms on ease of doing business complemented with fiscal and non-fiscal incentives”.  She extended an invitation to Australian businesses to take advantage of the 185 Infrastructure Flagship Projects across the nation that are available for international collaboration.

During the special feature on AESO,  POCB Executive Director Doris Gacho underscored in her presentation that “the Philippines is consolidating its global leadership in IT-enabled services and progressing into high-value activities such as architecture and engineering, with a competitive enabling environment, cost efficiencies, and close cultural proximity to an international audience thereby ensuring that it can serve projects in international and fast-growing regional markets like Australia”.

Chairperson Charito Zamora affirmed this when she ascertained that the PRC is eager to pursue a Mutual Recognition Agreement with Australia to facilitate the entry and mobility of these professionals between the two nations.

The CIAP-POCB is consulting with architectural and engineering services players while simultaneously conducting marketing and promotions in identified markets like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and the ASEAN region.

The PCAB-POCB-CMDF business mission was supported by the Office of the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, the DTI-PTIC Sydney, with assistance from the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) in Manila and Brisbane.

To learn more about how CIAP-POCB can help you promote your construction business and AESO capabilities overseas, you may send a message at POCB@construction.gov.ph or through our mobile number: 09178422254.  You may also follow POCB on Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/DTI.CIAP.POCB and visit CIAP’s official website www.construction.gov.ph for important announcements and updates. ♦

Date of release: 22 May 2024

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