Arab News International

• Some 2,000 Filipino architects are now working in GCC countries

• Saudi Arabia, UAE offer young professionals learning, certification

Manila: When Daryl Anasco moved to Riyadh five years ago, he was drawn by Saudi Arabia’s construction boom under Vision 2030 and its ambitious megaprojects, in which he immediately saw a window of opportunity for his career.

Fairly new to the profession and only 24 at the time, Anasco soon found himself immersed in work and projects he would not have been able to pursue in his native Bohol province in the central Philippines.

“They offer unique opportunities in my field that are not available in the Philippines ... Here in Saudi, it’s only now that I have experienced being involved in big projects. That’s one of the advantages of working here. They entrust us with big projects,” Anasco told Arab News.

There are some 2,000 Filipino architects working in GCC countries, according to data from the United Architects of the Philippines.

“They really have trust in us Filipinos. That’s my experience,” Anasco said.

“From residential I jumped to a giga-project. That’s one of the good things about working here. You’ll get to be part of big-ticket projects.”

This month, he will take the oath as a licensed architect in Riyadh, which is a significant career step that he says gives him greater confidence to seize even more opportunities in the future.

“Hopefully, I can join the biggest project in the world today, which is here in Saudi Arabia — NEOM,” he said, referring to the flagship multibillion-dollar smart city project.