A Filipino carpenter working at Naval Base Guam is the milestone worker; island’s construction workforce now double the national average per capita
HAGATNA — The number of H-2B guest workers on Guam has surpassed 6,000 for the first time in more than three decades, driven by the military buildup and a surge in major construction projects that has outpaced the local workforce, the Guam Department of Labor announced Thursday.
Ronaldo Duque Acedo, a Filipino carpenter employed by Black Construction, is the 6,000th H-2B worker registered on Guam. A six-year employee of Black Construction who has worked on the island three times, Acedo is currently assigned to the machine gun range at Naval Base Guam, having previously worked in the hangar at Andersen Air Force Base.
Before coming to Guam, Acedo earned $500 a month working in Riyadh. He now earns roughly $700 a week. In the Philippines, he was making the equivalent of about $2.50 an hour.
“This is a turning point for the construction industry and signals Guam is ready to meet and sustain the growing demand for development and investment,” said Guam Department of Labor Director David Dell’Isola. “Our team has streamlined processes, strengthened oversight, and closely partnered with employers and federal agencies to support a reliable workforce that helps move critical projects forward.”
Despite the record H-2B numbers, labor officials say the volume of active projects still exceeds local workforce capacity. According to the department’s September 2025 employment report, Guam’s local construction workforce stood at 3,740 workers, representing 10.26% of the island’s total U.S. workforce — roughly double the national average of 5.2%.
GDOL said it is prioritizing registered apprenticeship programs and upskilling initiatives to build local workforce capacity for the long-term jobs created by the buildup.
Guam residents interested in construction trade training can contact the American Job Center at (671) 475-7000 or visit dol.guam.gov.
