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Louella Desiderio - The Philippine Star
March 23, 2025 | 12:00am
Workers are seen at a construction site in Manila on January 8, 2025.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Construction activity slowed at the start of the year as approved building permits dropped by 14.6 percent in January, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Preliminary data showed that the number of construction projects from approved building permits went down to 12,526 in January from 14,665 in the same month last year.
While the number of approved building permits declined, the value of the projects rose by 26 percent to P48.58 billion from P38.52 billion.
By type of construction, residential buildings accounted for the biggest share of approved building permits at 61.2 percent.
There were 7,671 approved permits for residential buildings during the period, 14 percent lower than the previous year’s level of 8,931.
Residential building projects in January amounted to P20.94 billion, 28 percent higher than the P16.35 billion value in the same month last year.
Permits for non-residential construction projects also slid by 4.3 percent year-on-year to 3,138 in January.
Non-residential projects, meanwhile, amounted to P24.16 billion, up by 40.4 percent from P17.21 billion in the same period of 2024.
Additions or those involving increases in the height or area of an existing building increased by 24.8 percent year-on-year in January.
These projects were valued at P421 million, down by 36.8 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, permits for alterations and repair of existing structures, as well as for other construction projects dropped by 17 percent and 69.5 percent, respectively, in January.
In terms of value, alteration and repair of existing structures and other construction projects registered year-on-year declines of 32 percent and nine percent, respectively.
