PH migrant workers office to open in Guam to meet construction demand

Guam is facing a shortage of construction workers just as $1-to-$2 billion in U.S. military construction is expected over the next few years. US DEPT OF DEFENSE PHOTO

A Philippine Migrant Workers Office will open in Guam to expedite the entry of construction workers from the Philippines, the Office of the Governor Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero announced.

Guam is facing a shortage of construction workers just as $1-to-$2 billion in U.S. military construction is expected over the next few years.

The shortage of workers leads to construction delays, driving up costs. A lack of new construction also creates higher demand for existing buildings, again driving up prices, according to a Pacific Daily Newsreport.

Philippines Secretary of Migrant Workers Susana Vasquez Ople approved opening the Migrant Worker Office in Guam and similar offices in Bangkok and two other locations.

When opened, the office will be in the jurisdiction of the Migrant Workers Office in the Philippine consulate general in Los Angeles.

The Guam Contractors Association and the Guam Department of Labor confirm Guam has a robust H-2B program for Filipino workers, according to Guam Daily Post.

The opening of a migrant office came as a result of meetings between Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, local officials and Guam contractors that hire H-2B workers and Philippine lawmakers in December 2022.