RISING prices of sand hurt Philip, badly. Less than a week after Indonesia banned sand exports to Singapore, the 43-year-old building contractor found himself in a serious financial predicament.

Phillip has to dip deeper into his pocket and pay S$100,000 for 2,500 cubic meters of concrete needed for a project he is building. Since supplies from Indonesia stopped, the price of cement has jumped sharply from S$75 to S$115 per cubic meter.

Philip has