Philconstruct Manila 2019, the 30th staging of this annual project of the Philippine Construction Association (PSA), again lived up to the event’s reputation as the country’s biggest construction trade show, as thousands of visitors flocked to the SMX Convention Center and the World Trade Center during its November 7-10, 2019 run. The Association of Carriers and Equipment Lessors (ACEL), a PSA co-sponsor, also held another successful set of technical seminars, known as “technoforums,” that have become regular Philconstruct features.
Attended by construction industry workers who want to be updated on the latest industry practices and technologies, ACEL’s technoforums are especially popular among civil and mechanical engineers who earn continuing professional development (CPD) points by attending them. Thus, they always prove to be major attractions in Philconstruct shows. This happened last March in Clark, Pampanga where the first-ever Philconstruct Luzon was held, in Cebu last June at Philconstruct Visayas, and in Davao last September at Philconstruct Mindanao. And the same thing happened at the World Trade Center where the Association held its Philconstruct Manila 2019 technoforums.
ACEL’s four-day Equipment Management Seminar which had Rudy Menquita, an independent Association consultant, as speaker was attended by 38 participants. The technoforum on “The Future of Digging: Efficient, Cost-Saving Digging and Pushing Solutions” attracted 35 attendees. This was conducted by James Robert Ugarte of MHE Demag.
The “Safety on Heavy Equipment Operation” seminar which was handled by ACEL’s Benson Lim had 81 attendees, while the technoforum on “Basic Principles, Design and Calculation of Temporary Works,” which featured Arlan Vergara and Romeo I. Sevillo Jr. of RMD Kwikform as speakers, attracted 31 participants. The biggest attendance was recorded by ACEL’s Supervisory Leadership Training. Conducted by Louie Galicia of Megawide Construction Corporation, this session attracted 114 participants.
Meanwhile, on Philconstruct Manila 2019’s exhibition floor, ACEL’s simulator challenge also proved to be a big hit among visitors. Marikina City congressman and former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando was among those who gamely took on the challenge and tried his hand operating a simulated hydraulic excavator under some tough situations without comprising safety and quality.
Many of the Association’s member-companies also put up exhibits at the event. Some even conducted equipment demonstrations on the World Trade Center grounds to further whet the interest of the many contractors, architects, engineers and other construction industry workers who attended the trade show and who are all now eagerly awaiting the next Philconstruct staging.
