The total number of new construction projects from approved building permits in 2020 was recorded at 1,723, reflecting a decrease of 11.55 percent from 1,948 constructions a year ago.

The total floor area occupied for the new construction projects also decreased by 7.47 percent from 349,205 square meters in 2019 to 323,394 square meters in 2020. Meanwhile, the value of new construction projects was recorded at PhP 3,560.65 million in 2020, posting an increase of 3.49 percent from Php3,440.73 million a year ago.

The figure above shows the distribution of approved building permits by city/municipality in La Union in 2020.

Among the city/municipalities, the lone city registered the highest number of construction projects with a share of 19.56 percent (337 constructions) to the total approved building permits in La Union in 2020.  Compared with the number of constructions in 2019 with 455 building constructions, it registered a decrease of 25.93 percent.

Other municipalities with high number of construction projects in 2020 included Naguilian with 211 constructions (12.25 percent share), Bacnotan with 158 constructions (9.17 percent share), Luna with 155 constructions (9.00 percent share) and municipality of San Juan with 141 constructions (8.18 percent share).

In La Union, the municipality of San Juan occupied the top rank in terms of the value of constructions in 2020 with a share of 20.73 percent (PhP738.09 million) to the provincial total. The City of San Fernando ranked second with a share of 16.34 percent (PhP581.69 million) and Agoo ranked third with a share of 15.53 percent (PhP552.83 million).

In 2019, the lone city of the province had the highest value of construction projects among the city/municipalities contributing 39.41 percent (PhP1,355.99 million) to the provincial total. San Juan ranked second with a share of 11.14 percent (Php383.19 million) while the municipality of Rosario placed third with a share of 8.73 percent (Php300.55 million).

TECHNICAL NOTES

Scope and Coverage

            Private construction statistics from approved building permits pertain to data on new constructions and additions, alterations and repairs of existing residential and non-residential buildings and other structures undertaken in all city/municipalities of the country. 

            For this publication, the scope and coverage are all city/municipalities in La Union. 

Source of Information

            Data were taken from the original application forms of approved building permits collected every month by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) field personnel from the offices of Local Building Officials (LBOs) provincewide.

Limitation

            1. Data on private building constructions refer to those proposed to be constructed during the reference period and not to construction work completed during the reference period.

            2. The completeness of the number of building permits collected relies on the collection of applications filed with the LBOs.  Hence, private building constructions without approved building permits are excluded in the tabulation of data.

Definition of Terms

Building Permit is a written authorization granted by the LBO to an applicant allowing him to proceed with the construction of a specific project after plans, specifications and other pertinent documents have been found to be in conformity with the National Building Code (RA 6541).

Building is any independent, free-standing structure comprised of one or more rooms or other spaces, covered by a roof and enclosed with external walls or dividing walls which extend from the foundation to the roof.

Floor Area of Building refers to the sum of the area of each floor of the building measured to the outer surface of the outer walls including the area of lobbies, cellars, elevator shafts and all communal spaces in multi-dwellings. Areas of balconies are excluded.

Total Value of Construction refers to the sum of the cost of building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and others.  The value is derived from the approved building permit and represents the estimated value of the building or structure when completed.

SGD. DANITES E. TEÑIDO, Ph.D.
Chief Statistical Specialist