Aussie project management outsourcing firm bullish on PHL construction boom

Australian project management service provider Pure Projects International is bullish on the prospects for project management outsourcing sector in the Philippines amid the growing construction activities in the country.

"We are very bullish because there's a lot of opportunities now. The developers got a lot to deliver," Pure Projects head of Philippine and Asian operations Lloyd Wallace told reporters in a media roundtable in Makati City on Tuesday.

The project management outsourcing firm is banking on the booming construction activities in the Philippines.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the number of constructions rose by 10.4% to 39,762 in the first quarter of 2019 from 36,002 in the last quarter of 2018 based on approved building permits.

Project management outsourcing firms provide a "holistic" services to developers, which include initiating, planning, execution, control and completion of projects.

"Over time, they need these skills in order to have these project a success. They need people who can help them deliver," Wallace said.

"That means foreign designers, foreign consultants. It's not just training them on the construction and design, it's also training them on the management side," he said.

The project management sector can also see opportunities in the government's "Build, Build, Build" program as this will spur property development in other major areas in the country.

"With the ongoing ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program, once the big names realize their goals of developing townships and secondary cities, smaller developers and even new entrepreneurs will follow," Wallace said.

“Construction is a big contributor to the local economy. With the current growth forecasts in the Philippines, I believe there are significant opportunities for both individuals and companies to assist the developers to build their vision," he said.