Philippine cement demand growth may slow this year as spending for public infrastructure is expected to ease after the presidential elections in May, the nation’s biggest maker of the building material said.

Government projects may be put on hold with the transition to a new government, Ed Sahagun, vice president at Holcim Philippines Inc., said in a phone interview. Cement demand grew 11 percent in 2009 and will expand at least between 1 percent and 2 percent this year, he said.

The transition may stall “disbursements for public infrastructure projects,” Sahagun said.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, whose term ends in June, has increased the government’s budget, which includes outlays on airports, roads and state programs, to a record 1.54 trillion pesos ($33 billion) to bolster growth. Holcim Philippines had a “banner year” in sales and earnings in 2009 and is “looking at another good year” in 2010, Sahagun said.

The Philippines should impose duties on imported cement, Sahagun also said. The government said this week it will extend its waiver on cement for six months to prevent prices of the building material from escalating.