Sales of local cement producers grew at a slower pace last year amid lacklustre public construction and infrastructure spending, an official said yesterday.

Local cement demand rose 1 per cent to 15.6 million metric tonne in 2011 from 15.45 million MT a year earlier, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines reported.

Last year’s performance paled in comparison to the 6.8 per cent annual growth in 2010 from 14.47 million MT produced in 2009.

“Infrastructure spending was down in the first three quarters, but that’s all right. We support the government for its careful spending,” CeMAP president Ernesto M. Ordoñez told reporters yesterday on the sidelines of the Board of Investments’ strategic industry road map forum with private sector leaders.

“The government was able to catch up in the fourth quarter which is why cement sales increased by 20 per cent in the fourth quarter from last year,” he added.

Public construction in the fourth quarter grew by 49.4 per cent, a reversal from the three previous quarters, the National Economic Development Authority reported yesterday as it announced last year’s subpar gross domestic product growth of 3.7 per cent.

Nevertheless, Mr. Ordoñez expressed optimism for prospects this year on the back of ramped-up public work projects

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