Rising Construction Costs Signal Deeper Challenges in Aklan’s Development

By: Guillermo Sumbiling

The latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority–Aklan reveal a startling reality: construction costs in the province averaged ₱28,487 per square meter in 2024, a sharp rise from ₱19,681 just a year earlier. This spike comes despite Aklan posting one of the lowest inflation rates in Western Visayas at -1.8% as of June 2025.

On the surface, the increase might be blamed on pricier materials, but the roots of the problem run deeper.

One major factor is limited infrastructure to open more land for development. Without adequate access roads, utility networks, and transport links, potential residential, commercial, and industrial zones remain locked away. This keeps land supply tight, inflating prices and forcing developers to pass on the added cost.

Another factor is the shortage of skilled construction labor. Many experienced workers have moved to larger cities or abroad, leaving local projects with fewer hands and higher wage demands.

Compounding the problem is the continued reliance on inefficient, traditional building methods. While these may be familiar to local contractors, they deliver low productivity compared to modern construction technologies. This is particularly ironic for Aklan, a province with abundant access to aggregates from its rivers — a resource advantage that fails to translate into cost efficiency due to outdated work practices and fragmented project management.

The impact on ordinary families is severe. A modest 50-square-meter, two-bedroom home now costs around ₱1.4 million to build. For a working family relying on short-term financing, this price tag is often out of reach, forcing many to delay homeownership or settle for substandard housing.

These pressures are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. They shape the real economy: slowing housing development, delaying commercial growth, and discouraging industrial investment.

If Aklan is to remain competitive, policy action and industry reform must target the bottlenecks. Strategic infrastructure projects can unlock more land for development, vocational programs can rebuild the skilled labor base, and incentives can be introduced for adopting faster, more efficient construction technologies. Without these changes, the high cost of building will continue to be a drag on the province’s growth potential — and an obstacle to every Aklanon’s dream of owning a decent home.