The Economy: Cement consumption down, sector says outlook bleak

Nasaan ngayon ang ipinagyayabang na mga MEGA-Project (infra) sa mga Super Regions na may sapat na raw na pondo ang gubyerno upang pasimulan sa lalong madaling panahon ang mga kunstruksyon sa proyekto - SONA!

Hanggang sa ngayon, may ilang linggo na ang nakaraan nung nanalanta ang Bagyong Milenyo, (parang walang gubyernong nag-eexist) nakatiwangwang ang mga nasira, lubak-lubak na daan sa Laguna, Rizal at Cavite area. Maski ang mga dating sirang daang (Quirino Highway-killer highway) patungo sa San Jose delMonte, Bulacan ay lumala, pinabayaan na ng DPWH. Ang resulta, linggo-linggo, may nadidisgrasya-banggaan ng mga motorista. Kung totoong may pera ang Malakanyang at ilan buwan pa ang nalalabi bago mag-kampanyahan sa 2007, ipakita't prowebahan n'yo!

Ayon sa government controlled television (NTV-channel 4) lumalarga na raw, sinisimulan na raw ang mga Mega-Projects sa Visayas (pinapakita pa ang mga picture on site), sa Mindanao, sa Southern Tagalog at sa Central Luzon, particular sa lugar ng Clark Bases Conversion Zone.

Normally, ginagamit ng gubyerno bilang barometro ng pag-unlad ang produksyon at konsumo ng semento. Siyangapala, hinihintay na ng taumbayan (taga QC at Bulacan) ang halos isang dekada ng super delay na MRT 5 at MRT 7!

Kung tutoo ang balita ng BusinessWorld, malinaw na propaganda lamang ang mga buladas ni Ate Glo!

Ang nakakatakot, baka ang kahinatnan na mga mega projects/infra na ito ay isang pabuya bilang PONDONG PANG-KAMPANYA para sa 2007 election ng mga anti-impeachment Tongresmen at LGUs na kabilang sa ULAP - Doy / IPD

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW111106/content.php?id=051

Cement consumption in the ten months to October dipped 2% to 9.5 million tons, the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) said, blaming a construction slowdown.

For the month of October alone, consumption fell almost 6% to only 871,000 tons year on year, and overall, the CeMAP said it is pessimistic about sales until 2007.

"This year remains bleak for cement companies. With the lower 54% capacity utilization, their substantial investment in production facilities has suffered a serious setback," CeMAP President Ernesto M. Ordoñez said.

CeMAP members include Northern Cement, Pacific Cement Philippines, Inc., Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Inc., CEMEX Philippines, Holcim Philippines, and Lafarge Associated Companies in the Philippines.

"There is no information on substantial construction projects to be initiated in the remaining months of the year. With the election ban on the initiation of construction projects to be in place early next year, the construction industry may be looking at a very depressed 2007," Mr. Ordoñez said.

Citing National Statistical Coordination Board figures, the CeMAP said construction growth has been on a steady downturn over the last five years. Construction further dipped by 2.1% for the first semester of 2006, it said.

CeMAP’s outlook, however, runs counter to outlooks offered by property developers.

The Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA) has pointed to a boom in the construction industry, thanks to "competitive rates, more liberal lending policies by banks and sustained government initiatives." It also cited the growing number of Filipinos abroad who invest in home improvements and new homes this year.

In an industry situationer released last month, the 4,500-member CREBA said it expects a chunk of the expected $11-billion in overseas Filipino worker remittances this year to be allocated for housing.

BusinessWorld Online
Saturday, November 11, 2006
MANILA, PHILIPPINES