Builders urged to speed up digital shift

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE construction sector must speed up its transition toward digitalization and environmental sustainability to remain competitive and avoid leaving workers behind, labor advocates said on Wednesday.

At a forum in Quezon City, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and its partners said the industry faces an urgent need to modernize its workforce through a “twin transition” that combines digital technology with green building practices.

Central to this shift is the adoption of building information modeling, a digital design and project management tool that is already mandatory in major construction markets such as Singapore and Dubai.

“As you know, transition is taking place,” Khalid Hassan, director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, told BusinessWorld in an interview. “The future of work is coming. There will be digital, environmental and population transitions taking place at various places.”

“This project is designed to support that process,” he added.

Mr. Hassan warned that without improvements in education and training systems, workers — particularly young people — risk being excluded from emerging opportunities.

“The risk is that if education systems are not improved, workers will be left behind,” he said. “This would require a higher level of education and training in information technology, which is what we are supporting the government with.”

Hochul Shin, chief technical adviser of the ILO–Korea Partnership Programme, said building information modeling and green construction skills are critical entry points for improving youth employment in the sector.

“Building information modeling and green construction skills are among the most important starting points for leveraging the digital and green transitions to improve youth employment in this sector,” he said.

The construction industry remains one of the country’s biggest employers, accounting for 9.6% of total employment, according to the January 2026 labor force survey. However, employment in the sector fell by about 199,000 from December 2025, one of the steepest declines among industries.

Beyond domestic employment, advocates said upgrading skills could help attract foreign investment in areas such as offshore wind and position Filipino workers for global opportunities.

As part of the initiative, training modules were turned over to government agencies and industry groups, including the Department of Labor and Employment, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Construction Manpower Development Foundation, to better align training with industry needs.