DPWH-1 holds Regional Maintenance Engineer’s Conference

By Miriam P. Aquino

Friday 8th of June 2012

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, June 8 (PIA) -- Sixteen maintenance engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional offices nationwide attended the two-day Regional Maintenance Engineer’s Conference hosted by DPWH-R1 on May 17-18, held at the Philippine Ports Authority, Poro Point, this city.

Esperanza C. Tinaza, Public Relations Officer II of DPWH R1, said that the conference aimed to refresh the participants on the thrusts of the department, focusing on better quality and safer roads, performance governance system, and employees transformation in relation to the anti-graft and corruption program of the government that was spearheaded by DPWH Undersecretary for Technical Services Raul C. Asis.

According to Tinaza, the first day of the event focused on the discussion of maintenance by officials of the Bureau of Maintenance (BOM) led by Director Betty Sumait, with Engineers Ma. Visna Manio, Chief, Monitoring Division, and Edna F. Menez, Chief, Inspectorate Division.

The speakers gave utmost importance on topics like incident command system, disaster risk reduction management team and the status of maintenance projects; semestral conduct of road condition rating and validation of the implementation of Department Order number 13, series of 2011 relative to the revised guidelines on the maintenance of national roads and bridges; the importance of the removal of obstruction within the road right-of-way; and foreign assisted projects.

Engineer Domingo Aquino, Officer-In-Charge of BOM-Planning Division, presented the CY 2012 Maintenance Program for National Roads and Bridges, Tinaza informed.

On the second day of the conference, DPWH 1 Director Veniedo O. Reyes led the participants on their surprise/on-the-spot field inspections and observations on the road conditions in Ilocos provinces particularly along Manila North Road areas.

As initial evaluation, the participants found out that there were some road signages that were not clear but that the roads in Ilocos region are good. There were many roadside maintenance workers seen, and traffic signs especially along areas where there were road constructions were well observed/followed, Tinaza said.

Also present during the nationwide conference were DPWH Assistant Secretary for Technical Services Eugenio R. Pipo, Jr., DPWH RI Assistant Regional Director Daniel G. Domingo, Region I district engineers and maintenance engineers, Construction Chief Yolanda L. Tangco, and Regional Administrative Chief Dr. Silas R. Arellano. (ANL/MPA-PIA 1-La Union with reports from DPWH1)