Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 986)
The main purpose of Presidential Decree No. 986 is to amend Presidential Decree No. 458 by transferring the Soils and Materials Division from the Bureau of Construction and Maintenance to the Office of the Secretary, Department of Public Highways, to enforce quality control of materials used in construction projects.
The Soils and Materials Division was transferred to the Office of the Secretary, Department of Public Highways, and renamed as the Soils and Materials Quality Control Service.
The Director and Assistant Director of the Soils and Materials Quality Control Service shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of Public Highways.
The Service is composed of three divisions: the Management and Planning Division, the Operations Division, and the Technical and Research Division.
The chiefs and assistant chiefs of each division are appointed by the Secretary of Public Highways in accordance with Civil Service laws, rules, and regulations.
The Service is responsible for providing technical guidance, undertaking thorough inspections, coordinating the regional Soils and Materials Divisions to enforce strict quality control, investigating causes of failures in highways and bridges, and conducting research on the suitability of local materials for construction.
The transfer was considered necessary to enable the Secretary to closely supervise, coordinate, and strictly implement quality control of materials across regions and offices.
Yes, any provision of law, decree, order, rules, and regulations inconsistent with this Decree is repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
The Decree took effect immediately upon its signing on August 26, 1976.
Enforcing quality control of materials is imperative to ensure the stability and durability of completed construction projects such as highways and bridges.