Salonga, L. G. (2014). Policy proposals on construction manpower registration to ensure their competitiveness in an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) environment (Unpublished master's thesis). Public Management Development Program, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Public Management Development Program Senior Executives Class Batch 3 Thesis (SEC)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

With the onset of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) integration, vast opportunities that will be brought about by the Mutual Recognition Arrangements on engineering and architectural services, Filipino construction manpower and most especially professionals not included in the ASEAN registry will face possible displacement and could not take full advantage of the benefits of this upcoming integration by 2015. Inequality in fee/ wage/ salary in favor of foreign professionals over locals is also a major challenge that will confront services sector in construction. Although, in the Philippines, these certification and registration schemes for construction manpower have been implemented for several years now, it manifested a serious market failure since there were only very few takers or low turnout. Thus, there is a serious need for Government to intervene through either compulsory or combined voluntary and compulsory policy instruments. A call for collective action must be pursued among policy makers affecting construction manpower through an "Intensive Information and Advocacy Campaign on the Implications of AEC integration and Benefits of Certification and Registration". Evidently, there is a need to push for a Mandatory Registry System of certified construction manpower, since such information and advocacy campaign must be complemented with a compelling policy to ensure competitiveness of Filipino workers and professionals.