Sorsogon motorist complains sub-standard DPWH road concreting project

SORSOGON CITY – The first district engineering office is in for a rough ride after one of its supervise road concreting projects earned negative reviews from motorists. The project is less than five months after completion coarse aggregate is appearing characteristic of scaling of the concrete road.

Motorists are noticing and experience when passing along B. Flores Street and Rizal Street Extension in Barangay Burabod and Piot section has a scattered small patchy portion of peeling or flaking surface. If not repaired it will continue to grow and possibly cover a large area. This observation is a known occurrence on diluted mixture of cement according to a supervising engineer of the district who requested anonymity.

He said that the work of the material inspector is to see to it that the batching plant is registered with the department before it is allowed to operate. There is also the material engineer who may have sit all the while the project is on-going.

Taking the handbook the task of the material inspector is to examine and inspect materials and finished parts and products for defects and wear and to ensure conformance with work orders, diagrams, blueprints and template specification he said.

That of the material engineer by normal standard is responsible in the development modifying testing and evaluating suitability of materials diagnos and oversees operational quality control processes he added.

If the inspection and testing of the construction component are not done promptly resultant of the project is below standard.

This negligence ran up to the project inspector and the project engineer likewise co-existing in silence in their obligation. Though the thickness of the concrete varies on the type of road network still he said that the responsibility always falls on them.

According to him the scaling of the newly concreted street is not attributed to freezing-thawing but because of the high water to cement ratio producing a low strength surface level. It could have been averted if the inspectors and engineers did not connive with the contractor.

Another possible issue is the uninspected batching plant by the material engineer and the non-registration of the plant with the district engineering office producing a substandard mixture.

Adding I have not notice that the concreted street for the full curing purpose was covered by a wet burlap so that the proper reaction of cement with water. Covering it will achieve the full strength of the concrete.

Motorists are now complaining about why the street was green-lighted as passable to motor vehicles inspite of the inadequate supervision and connivance with the contractor of the personnel of Sorsogon First Engineering District under the leadership of OIC ADE Merla Rebeche.