APPROVED building permit applications picked up 31.4% in 2021 as pandemic restrictions eased, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
The final data release for building permits tallied 162,619 approvals, still below the pre-pandemic issuance level of 173,162 in 2019.
In 2020, approvals had contracted 28.5% to 123,783.
Building projects covered by the permits were equivalent to 32.987 million square meters (sq.m.) in floor area valued at P398.928 billion. Floor area and value totals were up 32% and 44.6%, respectively, from a year earlier.
Permits for residential projects accounted for 71.2% of the total and were up 32.4% at 115,772 approvals. These projects were valued at P211.658 billion with a floor area of 18.875 million sq.m.
Single homes accounted for 85.1% of all residential projects, up 27.5% year on year at 98,539 approvals.
Non-residential projects tallied 25,550 approvals during the period, up 31.7%.
Commercial construction accounted for 17,306 approvals, up 39.4%; agricultural projects 925, up 16.2%; and other non-residential works 759, up 47.7%.
Institutional building permits rose 18.6% to 4,513, while industrial project approvals were up 9.2% at 2,047.
Permits for additions to existing structures rose 42.7% to 4,498 in 2021, while alteration and repair permits were up 21.7% at 16,799.
The Calabarzon region — composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon — accounted for 81.9% of all approved building permits in 2021 with 3,683, followed by the Western Visayas with 2.5% or 112 and Ilocos Region with 2.3% or 102.
By value, construction projects in the National Capital Region amounted to P104.753 billion. This was followed by Calabarzon with P79.876 billion, and Central Luzon with P49.450 billion.
ING Bank N.V. Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said in an e-mail that reduced restrictions on movement helped building activity pick up in 2021.
“Less heavy-handed lockdowns in 2021 versus 2020 helped push the number of building approvals for the time period,” said Mr. Mapa.
“We can expect permits to increase at an even faster clip in 2022 versus 2021 given that restrictions were generally relaxed and the economy reopened,” Mr. Mapa added. — Lourdes O. Pilar