Green skills
Green construction skills chart a sustainable future for Filipino youth
For young Filipinos, green construction skills are opening the door for a better future of work while helping build stronger, safer, and more climate resilient communities.
24 July 2026
MANILA (ILO News) - The Philippines is preparing young people for a changing world by equipping them with green construction skills. These skills will help them build careers that are not only in demand but also help protect the planet.
As climate change reshapes industries, the next generation of construction workers will need more than technical expertise. They will need the knowledge to build safely, sustainably, and with the future in mind.
For Engineer Joseph Daniel Bianes, a 32-year-old Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, construction has always been about serving people.
As an engineering student, he volunteered to help build houses for poor communities. The experience changed the way he saw his profession.
"I realized construction is not just about constructing the tallest building," he says. "I think civil is for the civil society."
That belief has guided his work ever since. Today, it has grown into a deeper mission. He wants to help young people build a future where communities and the environment can thrive together.
Bianes has spent years preparing students for careers in construction. He teaches everyone from diploma students to those taking a Master of Science in Construction Management. For a long time, his lessons focused on strength, safety, and stability. Now, he believes sustainability is just as important.
That new perspective came after joining the Introduction to Green Construction Skills programme in June 2026. The training brought together experts who will help transform the Philippine construction sector. It is part of the ILO Korea Partnership Programme on Advancing Digital and Green Skills for Youth in ASEAN. The programme aims to equip young Filipinos with the skills they need for better jobs in a greener economy.
The need has never been greater. Construction employs nearly one in every ten Filipino workers. It is also one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Although the country has a Green Building Code, green practices have yet to become common across the industry. Many workers, especially those entering the workforce, still have limited access to practical green skills.
"We need to build greener as we move along with our developments," Bianes says. During the training, he learned about passive and active building design, carbon reduction, and life cycle analysis. The programme, developed with the Korea Polytechnic University, teaches participants how to make better use of natural light and wind while reducing energy use and waste.
For Bianes, these are more than technical lessons. They are skills that can help communities become more resilient in a country that regularly faces typhoons, earthquakes, and other climate related disasters.
As a newly trained master trainer, he is now preparing to bring these lessons into the classroom. He plans to integrate green construction competencies into the university curriculum by September. He also hopes to strengthen the Environment, Health, and Safety modules using learning materials developed through the ILO Korea partnership.
His goal reaches beyond his own classroom. By giving young people the right skills today, he believes they can become the engineers, project managers, and trainers who will shape a greener construction industry tomorrow.
"With that in mind, I appreciate the responsibility," he says. "It means I will be the change maker." For him, sustainability is everyone's responsibility. From labourers to supervisors, every worker has a role in making greener choices. Every project is an opportunity to reduce environmental impact and create healthier communities.
Bianes believes that investing in green skills is good for young people. It prepares them for emerging jobs, strengthens their resilience, and gives them the tools to lead the transition to a low carbon future. More importantly, it gives them the chance to build not only stronger structures but also a better future for the generations that follow.
Through the partnership between the ILO and the Republic of Korea, Bianes knows he is helping young Filipinos engineer the future without sacrificing mother nature.
As he returns to his students, he carries more than new teaching materials. He carries the belief that every young person equipped with green skills can help build a construction industry that protects both people and the planet.
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Advancing Digital and Green Skills for Youth in ASEAN