Construction jobs up for grabs in Guam, CNMI

Thousands of construction jobs in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) could be available to prospective overseas Filipino workers should a US military hospital project there push through. Citing a report from Labor Attaché Carmelina Velasquez in Saipan, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said a big construction project — a naval hospital worth US$700 million — is set to be awarded by the end of September this year. "The construction of the hospital will begin by the first quarter of 2011," Baldoz said in a statement posted on the website of the Department of Labor and Employment. Baldoz said the construction for the military facilities build-up would be until 2020, and projects worth about a billion US dollars should be awarded every year, requiring around 7,000 to 10,000 construction workers. "A Filipino contractor in Guam informed the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the area that easily 50 percent of the required manpower can be sourced out from the Philippines because of its workers' experience and track record of performance," according to the statement. Meanwhile, Velasquez said that since Guam would be unable to accommodate all military training for the relocation, the US military is looking at the island of Tinian in the CNMI to provide opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or more due to greater land availability. She said the proposed military training on Tinian include firing ranges, automated pistol combat, platoon battle course, field training, and airspace use. Velasquez said should this project push through, employment opportunities will likewise be available for Filipino workers in CNMI. "Project bidding and awarding are scheduled this year, although data on manpower requirements are not yet available," Velasquez noted. —JE/VS, GMANews.TV