In anticipation of the implementation of various subprojects under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in Ilocos Region, the Regional Project Coordination Office 1 (RPCO1) gathered the provincial and municipal engineers of proponent local government units (LGUs) to undergo a training-workshop on Materials Testing and Quality Control at Prime Asia Hotel, Angeles City, Pampanga, last 18-22 April 2016.

During project implementation, the materials engineer of the contractor will test the quality of the materials to be used in the construction. The results of the tests performed by the contractor’s materials engineer will be verified by the materials engineers of the proponent LGUs and the RPCO1’s rural infrastructure engineers. The results of the tests will likewise be geotagged and will be attached to requests for payment.

Engineers Sean Bernard G. de Leon and Stanley S. Dizon served as resource speakers during the MTQC training-workshop. Both are materials engineers of the Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of Region 3.

They emphasized that sampling is the blood life of testing the quality of materials used in infrastructures. Other vital concerns highlighted during the workshop were the importance of materials testing, quality control (aggregates), procedure on design mix, quality control in concrete construction and Item 311 or the portland cement concrete pavement.

During the activity, the participants also went to DPWH Region 3 laboratory for a hands-on workshop. They performed Field Density Test and Universal Testing (where compression and tensile stress of reinforced steel bars are measured) with the experienced engineering technicians of DPWH Region 3. The laboratory of the DPWH Region 3 is among the highest rated in Luzon.

The pilot infrastructure subproject in Ilocos Region, which is the Rehabilitation of the Balecbec-Basc Farm to Market Road (FMR), is set to begin construction within April 2016. For Ilocos Sur, the Rehabilitation of the Tubigay-Baracbac-Nagcullooban FMR will undergo re-bidding. Meanwhile, the infrastructure subprojects of the provinces of Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan, and the municipalities of Currinao, Paoay and Manaoag are awaiting the issuance of the No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1) from the National Project Coordination Office (NPCO). (Ilocos InfoACE)