PHILI PPINE
VOL. 1. No. 4 January-February 2013
THE MAGAZINE FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
DOST-MIRDC engineers offer alternative mode of transporation
Automated Guideway Transit system prototype
$2-B casino complex can withstand 8 quake Holcim Cement tightens its grip on makes leadership
The CMDF
Creating training modules for skills enhancement and development January-February 2013
Philippine Construction&Design
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| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
from the editor
Second Beginning The start of the year is always a welcome occasion as it ushers in many new beginnings. We look at January 2013 as a fresh start; a period of hope and anticipation. For Philippine Construction & Design, we foresee a fruitful year. If we were quite uncertain during the last half of 2012 when we gave birth to our e-magazine, we are optimistic that this first month of the year will bring abundant blessings and comfort to us and our readers. We are featuring the Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) prototype, an alternative mode of urban transportation, designed by Filipino engineers from the government agency MIRDCDoST. Though our gains have been modest, I remain upbeat as our readership is slowly increasing. For the January 2013 issue we are featuring the $2-B Belle Grande Casino and Hotel complex at the Aseana Business Park, the fast becoming mix-used property development complex in the metropolis. Inspired by the positive response to our e-magazine, we are adding new features for our January 2013 issue. In our Profiles section, we will regularly feature a contractor (Filipinas Dravo Corporation), an engineer (Engr. Chris Gonzales) and an architect (Arch. FelinoPalafox, Jr.), companies and personalities that shape and reshape the construction landscape. As we give you important news and interesting features in the construction industry here and abroad,we also give our e-magazine a human touch; after all the industry is composed of professionals from whom we can draw inspirations from. Do keep on reading Philippine Construction & Design as we bring you closer to the people and the stories that make the construction industry what it is today.
contents CONSTRUCTION NEWS
02 Calendar of Events
07 International Report A$5bn Melbourne regional rail link project gets green light
04 News Roundup
10 Association News
Bicol International Airport to replace Legazpi Airport
PICE challenges the engineering mind with “Rubies”
FEATURES
12 Industry Report
20 Architect Profile
14 Special Report
22 Engineer Profile
16 Cover Story
24 Contractor Profile
The CMDF: Creating training modules for skills enhancement and development
AGT system promotes environment-friendly transportation
A shaky career that guaranteed safety Filipinas Dravo Corporation
DOST-MIRDC Engineerings offer alternative mode of transportation
26 Suppliers Profile
18 Project Report-Private
Holcim Cement tightens its grip on market leadership
$2-B casino complex can withstand 8 quake
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
28 Project Managament
32 Human Resource Management
30 Sales & Marketing
34 Products & Technology
Timely resolution of jobsite conflicts preserves productivity
Waste management in construction sites
-Rodolfo de Guzman
ON THE COVER
Arch. Felino A. Palafox, Jr. Creating imprints in the global architectural scene
Concrete Pipe-making Machine
Closing sales without really trying
37 Price Movements
Construction materials prices in NCR show downtrend in the 4Q
The Metal Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) has spearheaded the development of the automated guideway transit (AGT) system as an alternative mode of mass transportation in urban areas. Shown on the cover is the prototype test track with two coaches at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus covering a distance of 465 meters with the young DoST engineers (left to right) Franz Libao, Elljay Mutuc, Brian Rasco, Ryan Roldan, Jesus Tanchuco III, and Christian Ibanez.
PHILIP PINE
THE MAGAZINE FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
Executive Publisher: Editor-in-Chief: Graphic Artist: Contributing Writers:
Josette Adiong Rodolfo de Guzman Anabelle Flores Ed Velasco Katherine V. Marfal Advertising Sales Executive: Rochelle C. Cuevas Administrative Assistant: Cherie Flores
The Philippine Construction & Design is an e-magazine published monthly by Saiber Media Inc., with business address at Unit 1524 City & Land Mega Plaza, ADB Ave. cor. Garnet Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Official website is www.philippineconstructionanddesign.com., e-mail address: saibermediainc@yahoo.com.ph Publisher Mr. William L. Ogan. For your editorial, online subscription and advertising placement, please contact (632) 945.8510 | 687-1430. Please send your comments and suggestion’s to saibercraft@yahoo.com. Copyright ©2012 All rights reserved. January-February 2013
Philippine Construction&Design
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calendar of events July 2013-November 2013 Kitchen and Bath Expo Brazil July 3-5, 2013 International trade show and conference for kitchen and bathroom fixtures and accessories in South America Venue: Sao Paulo, Brazil CHFE-China International Housing and Furnishing Exposition July 5-8, 2013
The twice a year event called China International Housing and Furnishing Exposition will highlight development in real estate, building materials, housing decorations, and household products. Venue: Ningbo, China
BuildTechAsia July 24-26, 2013
This once a year event showcases construction machineries, construction vehicles and equipment, building materials and electrical and mechanical engineering technologies. Venue: Singapore, Singapore
Aseanwood Woodtech Malaysia (WTM) August 21-24, 2013
This biennial event showcases Malaysian woodworking machineries, timber processing and furniture manufacturing, supplies exhibition and conference incorporating furniture and forest products. Venue: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ESBUILD August 2013
This once a year exhibition showcases construction materials and indoor decoration concepts with inclusion of energy-saving products and advanced building materials. Venue: Shanghai, China
MatExpo September 4-8, 2013
This biennial exposition and international trade fair showcases construction machineries, construction techniques and materials, wood industry products, road building technologies and civil engineering techniques. Venue: Kortrijk, Belgium
Bauma Africa September 18-19, 2013
This once a year event features the latest technologies for wooden construction, manufacture and supply of wooden construction assembly, prefabricated construction materials, and wooden accessories. Venue: St. Petersburg, Russia
Bangkok RHVAC October 9-13, 2013
This biennial exhibition highlights the important materials and technologies in refrigeration, heating, ventilation and air conditioning; including parts, materials, tools and equipment and services. Venue: Bangkok, Thailand
Home Improvement & Design Expo October 26, 2013
This twice a year exposition showcases home improvement products and design coming from renowned decorators, builders, remodelers, designers and suppliers. Venue: Blaine, Minnesota, USA
Construction Diyarbakir October 2013
This event highlights the latest in construction materials and technologies from the Middle East that include natural gas, heating, air conditioning, cooling, construction machineries, natural stones and marble products. Venue: Diyarbakir, Turkey
The Infrastructure Show October 2013
This yearly event is being held to provide an ideal forum for civil engineers to share information and the latest innovations in undertaking infrastructure projects. Venue: Birmingham, United Kingdom
TIGIS October 2013
This yearly event dubbed as the Taiwan International Green Industry Show features innovative green technology products that include LED lighting, electrical vehicles, wind power, recycling, fuel cells, anti-pollution devices, green building materials and water treatment technologies. Venue: Taipei, Taiwan
Buildex Calgary November 2013
This international fair features construction machineries, building materials machineries, and construction vehicles and equipment. Venue: Johannesburg, South Africa
This annual event is geared towards promoting concerns of property managers, facility and operations managers, building owners on building design and managing real estate. There will be about more than 225 exhibitors and 35 educational seminars. Venue: Calgary, Canada
Marble, Granite & Ceramics Indonesia September 2013
HVAC/R Philippines November 2013
This biennial international trade fair features the latest in marble, granite and ceramic products. On exhibit are machineries, materials and equipment for producing and installing construction materials. Venue: Jakarta, Indonesia
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Wooden Construction October 8-10, 2013
| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
This yearly event features technologies, products and services in the field of ventilation, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration. There will be exhibits of innovative products and conferences. Venue: Pasay City, Philippines
January-February 2013
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www.quezoncity.olx.com.ph
news roundup
Century Properties Group builds 8-tower Commonwealth residences The Century Properties Group, with vast experience in providing high-end condominiums and other real estate development projects, has embarked on a P 4.1 billion housing project in a 4.4-hectare property along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
The 8-tower project, called the Residences at Commonwealth, will rise beside the Don Antonio Heights; one of the more prominent residential communities in the area. Each tower is named after well-known personalities with the first building called Osmena West after one of the Philippine presidents. It will have 11 floors with 200 units. It will be delivered by 2015. Other towers will be called Quezon, Roxas and Quirino and will rise to 22 storeys high. All in all, the project will have 2,300 units that ranges from 21 to 72 square meters in floor area. Amenities include pocket gardens, athletic boot camp area, two full-sized basketball courts, a multi-level clubhouse, sunken badminton courts, and three tree houses. The architectural design was executed by the award-winning company Broadway Malyan.
The existing airport in Legazpi City in Albay, Bicol region will soon give way to a more modern Bicol International Airport to be constructed in Daraga, Albay. The move to build an international airport in the region with international standards is in conjunction with the government’s thrust to promote local and international tourism and to spur trade and commerce in the area. The project involves the construction of the passenger and cargo terminal buildings. It will also have modern security and
www.wowlegazpi.com
Bicol International Airport to replace Legazpi Airport
navigational aid equipment that will ensure safety and efficiency in airport operations.
www.sfilipinoanglers.org
$700M coal-fired power plant generates 400 MW for Luzon grid
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| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
Team Energy Philippines sealed a joint venture agreement with the Aboitiz Group for the construction of the 3rd power plant in Pagbilao, Quezon to the tune of between $600 million to $700 million. The power plant is expected to generate additional 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity for the Luzon grid. The new plant will augment the output of the existing 735 MW Pagbilao coal plant and the 1,200 MW Sual coal plant in Pangasinan. The plant will use the pulverized coal boiler technology that burns low-quality coal from Indonesia at $70 per metric ton. The target market for the electricity produced in this new plant is the industrial companies, private utilities and electric cooperatives. Groundbreaking is on the first quarter of 2013 and will be operational by December 2015.
Robinsons Land, one of the country’s biggest property developers whose roots can be traced in Cebu, is building its 38th and largest shopping mall in the city. The Gokongwei business empire is constructing the Robinsons Galleria Cebu on a 4.6-hectare property along Gen. Maxilom on the North Reclamation area that will include commercial establishments, office spaces for business process outsourcing firms and the first Cebu branch of the GoHotels chain. The building will be seven storeys high with a gross floor area of 156,000 square meters. The hotel will have 153 rooms. The mall will occupy four levels with a total gross leasable area of 56,000 square meters. The BPO offices will have three floors with roughly 9,000 square meters. Robinsons Galleria Cebu joins Robinsons Fuente and Robinsons Cybergate Cebu in the masterplan for the Gen. Maxilom property. It is scheduled to open its doors in 2014.
www.e-rockwell.com
Robinsons Land builds its 38th and biggest mall in Cebu
www.robinsonslandcebuproperties.blogspot.com
NEWS ROUNDUP
Rockwell Land allots P26.3B for its mixed-use condo portfolio Expansion seems to be the name of the game for Rockwell Land Corporation as it embarks on several projects near the Rockwell Center in Makati. The Lopez-owned property development company has allotted P26.3 billion for development of mixedused complexes in Makati and Pasig City. Rockwell Land started construction of The Proscenium last quarter of 2012 that will have five high-end residential towers for a total cost of P17.1 billion. It will have leasable area of about 15,000 square meters. The company hired the services of Canadian architect Carlos Ott who incidentally designed the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Together with The Proscenium, the 20-storey Lopez Tower will rise on the 3.6 hectare property along JP Rizal Street in Makati City that will become the corporate headquarters of the Lopez Group of Companies. This is targeted to be completed by December 2014. Other developments include the Lopez Museum; the P7.6 billion The Grove, the 50-storey Edades tower, and the 205 Santolan, a 105-unit townhouse .
P 43.3B CALAX project gets NEDA nod
www.pinoyprogress.com / www.skycrapercity.com
The proposed Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) project has finally gotten the nod of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee after thorough study of its positive impact to the development of economic activity in this part of the Southern Tagalog corridor. The CALAX project involves the construction of a 4-lane, 47.018-kilometer expressway. The road will be from the end of the Cavite Expressway in Kawit, Cavite up to the Mamplasan Interchange of the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) in Binan, Laguna. The project aims to provide a reliable access road for the fast and efficient transport of goods in the Cavite and Laguna areas that are rapidly developing as vital industrial and commercial hubs in the region. The CALAX will be funded in part through the public-private partnership (PPP) program of the government and the official development assistance (ODA) program of the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA.
January-February 2013
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PPP projects seen as prime mover of construction growth
www.portcalls.com
The private construction sector is expected to rebound by this year from a slowdown in 2012 despite the many condominium projects seen in the metropolis and key cities in the country. According to news article disclosures by NEDA assistant director-general for planning Ruperto P. Macuja, the private construction sector has somehow reached a point of saturation after several quarters of growth. This observation was shared by one of the prominent economists in the country, Prof. Benjamin E. Diokno of the UP School of Economics, who said that construction contracted by 6.2% that started in 2011 due to slowdown in government projects. The increase in government infrastructure spending as well as the rapid rolling off of public-private partnership (PPP) projects will be the key to spur private construction to a more upbeat pace. The Tokyo-based real estate market expert David C. Fan also disclosed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer that faster approval of PPP projects will help move private construction faster. Likewise, the introduction of the Real Estate Investment Trusts or REIT, that allows the general public to purchase stocks of real estate companies, will provide investors with more available capital to fuel its property development projects.
www.directionsonweb.blogspot.com
Thai oil firm PTT expands PHL operations with P1.5B investment The largest oil firm in Thailand, through its Philippine subsidiary PTT Philippines Corporation, gears up for an expansion program from 2012 to 2016 with aggregate investment of P1.5 billion. According to PTT Philippines president and CEO Wisarn Chawalitanon, the parent company in Thailand has approved the five year expansion plan to construct between 75 to 80 new retail stations in Luzon and the Visayas particularly in Cebu. The company aims to increase its presence in the country to have 125 to 130 new retail stations by 2016. Around P250-300 million is earmarked every year for construction of 15 stations annually. At the same time, the company is planning to put up a terminal in San Fernando, Pampanga and another terminal in Southern Luzon to facilitate deliveries and handling of its oil products in the target areas. PTT has set aside P250 million for each terminal.
www.iloiloonline.blogspot.com
news roundup
DoTC focuses on ports development The Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC), through the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), has earmarked P556 million for the construction of seven ports in major strategic areas in the country. This initiative was made in anticipation of the increase in passengers and cargoes brought about by the strengthening of the domestic economy. According to DoTC Secretary Mar Roxas, the biggest project will be the Commercial Port Complex in Iloilo to cost P 183.2 million. It will involve the excavation of the existing seabed, construction of shear keys, new port lighting system, installation of interlocking concrete blocks pavement, and lateral drainage system. The project getting the second biggest share of the budget at P 91.2 million is the Ormoc Port in Leyte. It will also involve seabed excavation and construction of new lighting system, concrete pavement and back-up roll-on, roll-off (Roro) ramp. Other portions of the budget will go to improvement of Dumangas Port (P 63.2 million), Tabaco Port in Albay (P52.6 million) and Lucena Port (P33.2 million). Further, P 76.6 million will be spent for the rehabilitation of Pier 1 in Dumaguete Port and P 65.2 million allocated for construction of back-up area, Roro ramp and lighting system of the Pio Duran Port in Albay.
www.business.inquirer.net
MPIC-SMC Jv to start construction of NLEX-SLEX Connector road project
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The joint venture between Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) bagged the P45 billion North and South Luzon Expressways (NLEX-SLEX) Connector Road project. This initiative will substantially reduce travel time from north to south thereby paving the way for faster delivery of goods and services. The project includes the 21-kilometer NLEX-SLEX expressway connector and the eight-kilometer harbour link that will create a direct link between the ports in the north and the south. Likewise, it will connect the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Clark Freeport Zone. The travel time will be a 75-minute uninterrupted drive and the road allows bigger vehicle capacity to accommodate transport trucks and heavy delivery vehicles. According to former Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Mar Roxas, the project is now up for a Swiss challenge and will generate about 8,000 new jobs once the construction begins.
| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
international report
www,worldconstructionnetwork.com
A$5bn Melbourne regional rail link project gets green light
The harnessing of wind energy has been in the forefront of development in Italy. Recently, Fera, an Italian developer, has awarded a project to Vestas in the region of Tuscany to supply wind turbines that can generate up to 19.8 megawatts of electricity. It involves the procurement of 11 Vestas V100 1.8MW turbines for the project called Santa Luce Wind Project. The purchase includes the 15-year service agreement. According to Vestas Italia General Manager Rainer Karan, the turbines were ideal for the wind conditions in Tuscany and the project is within their expertise in the 2MW platform.
www.railway-technology.com
Italian developer Fera awards 20MW deal to Vestas
The work on the 7.5-kilometer Footscray to Deer Park section of the A$5 billion regional rail link project has commenced in the third quarter of last year. The project aims to improve the rail transit service to regional Victoria and west of Melbourne. According to Australia Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, the rail project will benefit the more than four million residents of the area. The West Footscray station will be equipped with a lift, ramps and stairs to ensure maximum accessibility. The project is undertaken by the Regional Rail Link Authority in partnership with construction firm Balfour Beatty, Sinclair Knight Merz, V/Line, Thiess and Parsons Brinckerhoff.
www.worldhighways.com
Project contractor Arabtec Construction is building two 185-meter high skyscrapers in the new business district of West Bay in Doha dubbed Twin Towers Qatar. The project will have office spaces and hotel rooms that will occupy the 48 storeys with multi-storey parking spaces, three at the podium level and two in the basement level. The Doka climbing formwork SKE50 is deployed for the two CIP concrete cores that are being climbed with the use of 94 automatic climbers and the 1800 m2 of Large-area formwork Top 50. Doka Qatar used the modular design concept for the craneindependent automatic climbing formwork system that is efficient and economical. The project also used the 2.40 m wide platforms of the cranejumped formwork system MF240 that provided ample space for safe working condition. On the other hand, the Doka 1-2-4 floor slab system was used for the typical floors and the high slab supports in the podium level were provided by Load-bearing towers Staxo 40.
www.Ida-design.co.uk
Arabtec Construction deploys Doka climbing formwork in Twin Towers Qatar
LDA Design inks Mumbai luxury landscape deal
LDA Design inked a $2 billion deal for the landscape commission of a luxury residential scheme in Mumbai, India by developer Omkar. It incorporates a multi-stage landscape project that includes four acres of landscape podium atop a 12-storey car park in the west Worli district. Other amenities included in the commission are an amphitheatre, a skywalk with lush tree canopy, swimming pools and cricket nets. The ground floor landscape is adorned with waterfalls and a sales pavilion that is now a landmark structure in the area. According to LDA Design, the project adopts the leading edge CNC technology and 3D modelling in making the world class design anchored on the rich heritage and history of Mumbai. The designers were inspired by the linked-island geography and Worli textile designs. The project involves three towers with triplex penthouses that incorporated outdoor gardens. LDA Design worked closely with interior design firm HBA London and architectural company Foster & Partners. The project is due for delivery by 2016.
January-February 2013
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international report
Statoil Norway awards hull construction to Technip Statoil, an energy company in Norway has awarded the construction of the hull for the world’s largest Spar platform on the Aasta Hansteen field to the consortium of Technip and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for an estimated contract cost of NOK 4 billion. Aasta Hansteen platform is the first of its kind in the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) with recoverable reserves of 47 billion standard cubic meters (scm) of gas and 0.8 million scm of condensate. The platform is the first Spar with storage capacity of 25,000 scm of condensate, enabling Statoil to export gas through the Norwegian Sea Gas Infrastructure (NSGI). The manufacturing of the hull will be done in South Korea and be transported using the largest heavy-lift carrier. Thereafter, Technip will execute the design and deliver the hull ready for mating with platform topsides in Norway. The project deliveries will be completed by December 2015 and production expected to start in 2016.
www.inhabitat.com
FIFA/Olympic-standard stadium to rise in Addis Ababa A coffee bean shaped stadium will rise in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; a design that symbolizes the country’s major source of income. This unique stadium will be part of a sports village that will further promote sports activities in the country. The design architecture was executed by the Doha-based Australian firm Designsport and Australian LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture) in cooperation with JDAW, a local architectural firm. The partnership recently won the international architecture competition to design a national stadium and sports village. The sports complex sits on a 60-hectare property that includes a stadium with a sunken arena that has a 60,000 seating capacity, an aquatic center, an athletics track, sports halls, residential village, and retail and commercial stores. The headquarters of the Federal Sport Commission will be inside the complex. The materials used for the façade of the stadium were adapted from Ethiopian culture that is the Massob, an Ethiopian communal serving basket made out of woven grass. The roof of the stadium is made of intelligent membrane that looks like a cloud when view from afar. Construction will begin in 2014.
www.gcaptain.com
BGR Energy Systems builds tallest cooling tower in India There are two cooling towers being built by BGR Energy Systems www.constructionweekonline.com in Kalisindh in India for Kalisindh Thermal Energy Plant. The project is part of the $820 million facility with funds coming from the Rajasthan Government. When completed, the plant will generate up to 1200MW of electricity. When completed, the two towers will be the tallest so far in the world measuring up to 202 meters; two meters higher than the record holder, the cooling towers in Niederaussem in Germany. The complexity of the project necessitated the use of two 21CJ290 tower cranes provided by Comansa Jie. The crane provider is a joint venture between the Chinese company and the Spanish crane manufacturer Linden Comansa. The two tower cranes have a maximum load capacity of 18 tonnes each and a jib length of 74 meters. With this equipment, the contractor is able to reach the tower’s base with a diameter size of 142 meters. The cranes were jacked-up with a hydraulic cage in various phases until it reached the height of 217 meters.
Jv led by Tav Construction wins Abu Dhabi Airport project
www.constructionweekonline.com
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| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
The construction of the Midfield Terminal Building of the Abu Dhabi Airport was awarded to a consortium that includes Tav Construction, Arabtec and Consolidated Contractors International Company. The project involves the construction of the 700,000 square meter terminal building as part of the strategic infrastructure project undertaken by the Abu Dhabi Airport Company to improve its facilities. When completed the airport is expected to serve 30 million passengers a year. The contract awarded in June 2012 will be finished by the first quarter of 2017. The new terminal will be home to the Itihad Airways.
Saudi Arabia’s Pension Fund to bid out largest housing project The Saudi Arabia Pension Fund is offering for bids the largest real estate development project in the kingdom that will involve housing units in Jeddah. According to reports from Bloomberg, the project will have 7,340 apartments and villas constructed alongside with a hospital and a hotel on a 2.6 million square meter property near the King Abdulaziz International Airport. When tenders are received and the contract awarded, the complete project will be done in two phases: the first phase will involve construction of apartment units with each measuring 800 square meters and the second phase is allotted for the construction of villas with an area of 300 square meters each.
Swarovski lights up Amanora Park towers in India
www.indiconcretejungle.blogspot.in |www.flicker.com
www.saudibathpoolandspa.com
international report
The dazzle of glittering lights and crystals will soon highlight the futuristic architectural design of the Amanora Gateway Towers 1 in Pune, India. This first luxury residential project is undertaken by City Corporation Ltd., considered as one of India’s leading developers of townships and the prestigious Amanora Park. The tower has a total height of 150 meters with 45 storeys. When completed, the structure will be the tallest skyscraper in the area. The project combines the luxurious features offered by Swarovski Lighting and the exclusive designs of personal spaces as prescribed by the developer City Corporation. Situated on 14 acres of land, Gateway Towers 1 has 700 units of high end apartments. Luxury is experienced in penthouse units with private pools. The building includes green terraces and sky bridges. The lobby, sky deck and the clubhouse carry the Swarovski crystal design.
www.unstudio.com
The former UIC Building in Singapore, once referred to as the tallest structure in the citystate when it was built in 1973, is slowly transforming into a futuristic skyscraper called V on Shenton. The building is designed by world renowned Ben van Berkel of UNStudio, showcasing architectural innovations with the incorporation of a façade of four to five different textures following the basic hexagon shape that create patterns with angles and shading devices adjusted to Singapore’s climatic conditions. The unique design uses “chamfers” that frame each tower. Chamfers are lines that unify the composition of the residential tower, the office tower and the plinth. The design then varies with the time of day when chamfers look smooth against the textured surfaces of the building. Three sky gardens and sky lobbies provide a 360-degree view of the city. The building surface totals 85,507 square meters situated on 6,778 square meters of prime property. The height of the residential tower is 237 meters with 53 storeys while the office tower reaches 123 meters high and 23 storeys. The local architect is Architects 61 Pte Ltd.. Structural engineer is the DE Consultants (S) Pte Ltd.
www.tra-velo-gve.co.uk
V on Shenton twin towers showcase architectural innovations
Oman’s Tender Board opens bidding for $485M construction projects The state of Oman has designated its Tender Board to bid out the approved $485 million worth of construction project packages to fast track its infrastructure program. The first phase of the Al Batinah Southern Expressway project worth $358 million was awarded to Galfar Engineering & Contracting in the first quarter of 2012, the budget of which is over and above the current approval. Immediately to follow is the bidding for the $320.6 million package for the second phase. Other projects in the pipeline are the following: $60 million water supply line from a desalination plant in Al Ghubra to Muscat; $24.5 million first phase of a water project in Wilayat of ARustaq in the Governorate of South Al Batinah; $28.4 million fishing harbour project in Wilayat of Barka at South Al Batinah; the $7.4 million road projects in the north of the Salalah Ring Road in Dhofar; and the $4.6 million coastal protection works at Widam Al Sahel.
January-February 2013
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Association news
PICE challenges the engineering mind with “Rubies” The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers or PICE has once more put a challenge to the analytical minds of young engineering students on the occasion of its 75th anniversary celebration held at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines. The contest, dubbed Engineering Creativity Design Competition: Engineering Design the Way It Shouldn’t Be, drew inspiration from the Rube Goldberg Design Competition or simply referred to as “Rubies”. Reuben Goldberg was a famous cartoonist known for his outrageous contraptions like a garage door opener. His drawings depicted complex but logical machines crafted from ordinary household materials used to perform even the most trivial activities. As such, the competition allows engineering student participants to play around the designs to create complex solutions to simple problems. According to PICE organizers, the competition was held to challenge civil engineering students, who are incidentally PICE student chapter members, to gain different perspectives on how things work and to come up with various solutions to the same problem. The contest consisted of designing a Rube Goldberg Machine that simply called “burst a balloon”. This was a test of analytical skills, creativity, innovativeness and a mindset of “thinking outside the box”. The winners of the competition will get cash prizes and plaques of distinction.
PCA President Manalo joins the CMDF Board of Directors The current president of the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA), Augusto F. Manalo, has joined the Board of Directors of the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF), the training arm of the department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for skills development in the construction industry. Manalo held different positions in the PCA in the past and also served as president of the Association of Carriers and Equipment Lessors (ACEL) in 1988-1989. He will join the five-man board of CMDF currently chaired by Rodolfo C. Menguita from D.M. Consunji Inc. Other members of the board include Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Deputy Director General Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua; DATEM Construction president Liberito Espiritu; and EDCOP Consultancy Company Vice Chairman Rogelio Lombos. CMDF, presently headed by executive director Jesus Motoomull, is mandated to provide education and skills training to tradesmen, engineers, supervisors and PCA president Augusto Manalo (third from right) joins the CMDF Board of construction project managers to equip them with the Directors with DTI officials led by Sec. Gregory Domingo (2nd from left) and latest technology, methods and practices to be globally TESDA Deputy Director General Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua. competitive.
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| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
UAP-PGBI hosts 4th Roundtable discussions on sustainable design and construction The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) and the Philippine Green Building Initiatives, Inc. (PGBI) hosted the 4th Roundtable Discussion on Sustainable Approach to Design and Construction last November 8-9 at the the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Philippines. The two-day event sponsored fora and discussions on sustainable development and green building technologies. The main activities included the following: a) presentation of the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) Region IV Work Program on Responsible Architecture; b) grand launching of the PGBI GREEN Rating System; and c) an exhibition of new products and international trends by the Philippine Society of Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers (PSVARE) as organized by PHILCONSTRUCT.
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Philippine Construction&Design
| 11
industry report
www.philconstruct.com
The CMDF
Creating training modules for skills enhancement and development By Rodolfo de Guzman
A boost to the local construction industry
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he construction industry, as a vital player in nation building, has to remain dynamic and responsive to its needs and be competitive in the local and international market. It is therefore imperative for all stakeholders, like government agencies, private contracting companies and the labour sector to also do their share in aiding the industry to translate economic development into tangible gains. Since the construction industry is labour intensive, it is therefore imminent for the construction manpower resource to be accorded the necessary logistical support
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coming from both the government and the private sector. The labour force, composed of engineers, masons, carpenters, welders,steel workers and other skilled labourers, has to stay attuned to the changes happening around them. The fast pace of development in the construction industry with updated construction practices, techniques and processes must therefore be acquired by the local construction industry as well. In the Philippines, through the initiatives of the Philippine Constructors Association or PCA, a manpower development
| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
foundation was created in 1981 primarily to serve the local construction industry. Later on it became known as the Construction Manpower Development Foundation or CMDF. The strength of foundation The Construction Manpower Development Foundation now carries the torch for the local construction industry in the promotion of technical and managerial skills enhancement, manpower training and development, occupational safety, equipment operations and human resource management.
industry report
For its vision the CMDF aspires to be the leading instrument of change to effectively empower the local human resources to be globally competitive. The CMDF mission states that it is committed to create an environment conducive to the development and improvement of human resources in the construction industry that will be able to provide services with the highest standards both locally and abroad. The CMDF is structured similar to a learning institute where facilities are available for trainings, teach-ins, seminars, symposia and other skills enhancement programs. The foundation has its offices in Makati where there are classrooms, laboratories and workshops for intensive skills training. For three decades, the CMDF has been serving the construction industry with its four major assistance programs, namely: productivity trainings, orientation seminars on construction skills, skills testing and certification, and training facility rental.
Training modules With the thrust to provide comprehensive training, the CMDF’s productivity and competency enhancement program includes five areas of competency, namely: Construction Management, Construction Safety, Building Construction and Electrical Works, Mechanical Works, and Specialized Skills Course on Heavy Equipment Operation and Heavy Equipment Maintenance. Construction Management seminars are designed in line with the construction managers certification program with reference to the Project Management Body of Knowledge of the United States. The program is open to individuals and groups. The program touches on specialized topics, namely: construction project management, construction project contract management, construction project work planning and scheduling, construction project schedule control, construction project resource planning and cost estimating, construction project budgeting and cost control, construction project quality planning and assurance, construction project quality control and improvement and human relations. The seminars last from a day to about three days and course fees range from P1,300 to P4,000. The Construction Safety seminars are geared towards compliance to the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Order 13 in accrediting safety officers. The two modules under the programs are Construction Safety and Health course for Site Safety Officers for five consecutive days and Road Construction Safety and Traffic Control for three days. The Building Construction and Electrical Works seminars are designed for construction engineers and skilled workers with focus on new methods and techniques classified into two categories; supervisory course and technical skills training. Included in the former are rebar works, formworks, concreting works, masonry works, materials testing and building electrical works. For the latter, it includes motor test and control, building wiring electrician, rebar fabricator/ installer and masonry works. Improvement of technical skills is prioritized with the Mechanical Works seminars, again designed for new methods and techniques in equipment operations and upgrading technical skills. The program includes the following: heavy equipment operation and maintenance management, plumbing works for supervisors, welding
works for supervisors, general plumbing works, and general welding works. The course usually takes three days and held at the CMDF Cavite training center. Lastly, the CMDF conducts Specialized Skills Course on Heavy Equipment Operation and Maintenance for equipment operators and supervisors. The heavy equipment operation module includes operation of bulldozers, motor graders, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, forklifts, and motor graders. The heavy equipment maintenance module zeroes in on engine overhauling, electrical system, fuel system, and hydraulic system. Each module lasts for about two days and are all done at the CMDF Cavite training center. Logistics The CMDF is equipped with various equipment, machineries and training facilities to address the basic and advance courses they offer. In collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the CMDF-DTI Training Center in Dasmarinas, Cavite was put up to provide a permanent venue for skills trainings, seminars and workshops. It is situated on a seven-hectare lot complete with dormitories with air conditioning; function rooms that can accommodate 25 to 80 participants; and recreational facilities like swimming pool, billiards, table tennis and basketball courts. Miscellaneous services Despite being a training institute for the construction industry, the CMDF is also tasked with other skills assessment functions. Similar to the Technology Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA, CMDF also conducts competency assessment and certification. This service enables trainees to receive certificates of competency that they can use in applying for jobs locally and abroad. The other services CMDF extends are the following: Training Needs Analysis (TNA), Training System Installation (TSI), and Job-site Coaching or On-site Training and Testing. Likewise, the CMDF also accommodates requests for academic field trips for students of engineering and technical schools and orientation seminars also for students and private companies involved in the construction business. Accomplishments, Projections and plans, Globally competitive.
January-February 2013
Philippine Construction&Design
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special report
AGT system promotes environmentfriendly transportation Automation answers the need for safe and fast commuting
A
s the rate of urbanization increases and the number of new vehicles continue to rise, the demand for a more efficient mode of transportation has become immediate. A city like Metro Manila with a limited land area of 638.55 square kilometres and a growing population will eventually need a transportation system that allows maximum mobility at affordable costs. Soon, the total of 5,092 kilometers of roads will no longer be enough to handle the volume of vehicles that use them every day. Metropolitan Manila composed of 16 cities and 1 municipality with a total population of around 21.3 million based
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on 2011 statistics will need reliable mass transportation systems if it is to move forward with its economic development goals. Although there are already mass transportation systems in place like the 17.2-kilometer Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1from Baclaran to Monumento, the 13.8-kilometer LRT 2 from Santolan, Pasig to Recto in Manila, and the MRT 3 from Baclaran to North Avenue in Quezon City, there is still a great number of commuters that are not accommodated. Because of this, other commuters still rely on public utility buses and jeepneys
| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
plying the major thoroughfares like Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa), Aurora Boulevard, Quezon Avenue, Espana Street, Roxas Boulevard, and C-5 Road (Osmena Highway). But with limited space for roads, commuting by bus or jeepneys can be a harrowing experience due to traffic gridlocks that will take you one hour just to traverse a 10-kilometer stretch. Coupled with poor urban planning, unregulated number of vehicles, burgeoning population, the proliferation of illegal structures on sidewalks and streets, the metropolis is shrinking every day. As a result, the socio-economic pressures are
getting higher and higher as productivity and efficiency are slowly being eroded. The solution now lies on the incorporation of a comprehensive transport system that will augment and support the current mass transit systems like the LRT and MRT.
technology. Other commercial establishments made use of AGT systems. The world famous amusement parks built the Walt Disney World Monorail System and the Toronto Zoo Domain Ride. In Los Angeles, the Getty Center made use of a verticallyoriented AGT that carries visitors from the parking lot off the Interstate 405 to a hill in Brentwood.
Since the AGT runs on its own tracks, the travel time from one end to the other end of the route is dramatically reduced compared to commuting by bus or motor vehicles. This generates savings in terms of time and fuel cost. Also, the occurrence of accidents is close to zero unlike vehicles on the road. Lastly, the most beneficial feature of the AGT is the absence of air pollution since it is powered by electricity.
AGT origins As the LRT and MRT systems address the need of commuters in the major thoroughfares, the AGT system is there to support and link the commuters coming AGT plus AGT connects the world from secondary and tertiary roads to the The AGT was developed to serve the The AGT system can be employed to mass transit systems. in-between market of commuters. It augment the existing LRT and MRT lines AGT is an acronym for automatic was created for transporting a particular in Metromanila. Since not all commuters guideway transit, a term used to refer to number of people that can no longer be reside near the LRT and MRT stations, the a fully automated, driverless and grade- accommodated by buses or too small for the AGT system can be constructed on side separated transit system where the vehicles conventional subway system that catering to streets and avenues in selected areas in the or coaches are equipped with rubber tires a higher density area. metropolis. and are guided and supported by a guideway By introducing the AGT as an alternative Instead of riding the tricycles, jeepneys or for the entire length of the route. mode of transportation for lesser density pedicabs (bicycles with side cars) from their The AGT is not a new technology. It has areas, the problem of ferrying commuters on homes to the stations, commuters can ride been in use even in the early 60’s particularly fixed routes can be addressed. the AGT in comfort and safety. in airports where people The AGT are transported using that is fully Together with the personal rapid transit concept, the PMS or people automated and mover system. Similar grade-separated the AGT system was developed in 1968 from funding technologies are applied rail transit by the US Department of Transportation. During that system to different variations can depending on the load time, many aerospace companies were slowing down serve as a shuttle capacity. There is the service running operations after the termination of the Project Apollo on a back-andmore complex mass transit systems like the forth trip that is and the end of the Vietnam War. Vancouver Sky Train usually referred and the simpler ones to as hectometric called personal rapid transit (PRT) made of The AGT is ideal for smaller roads and (designed for a few hundred meters). small car-like vehicles. streets as they require lesser areas for the Each train or coach of the AGT can Together with the personal rapid transit construction of infrastructures like concrete accommodate around 20 passengers that concept, the AGT system was developed in posts and guideways. Also it is more is often referred to as group rapid transit 1968 from funding by the US Department economical than the subway system because (GRT). of Transportation. During that time, many they use smaller sized vehicles usually The AGT system is widely used in other aerospace companies were slowing down composed of only two to four train coaches. countries as well. It is more prevalent in operations after the termination of the Project The AGT does not require construction of airports like Frankfurt International Airport, Apollo and the end of the Vietnam War. In expensive tunnels like subways as they are Germany; Hong Kong International Airport; anticipation of the possible need for PRTs as erected on elevated tracks. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, mass transit system by the start of the 1970’s Because of its smaller dimension Malaysia; London Heathrow Airport in the up to the 80’s, these companies like Boeing compared to larger systems of mass transit, UK; Osaka Kansai International Airport in and General Motors shifted its operations the capital costs involved in building the Japan, Paris Charles de Gaulle International to manufacture AGTs. But the projected AGT is far lesser than the LRT or MRT with Airport in France; and New York John F. demand did not materialize and only one larger load capacities. The components of the Kennedy International Airport in the United small AGT design was constructed called AGT are smaller and lighter and therefore States among others. the Morgantown PRT in West Virginia. cheaper like the suspension system, track In other urbanized cities, the AGT system The technology behind the AGT later support, axles and even the loading and has become a staple means of transportation. on found its widespread use in other unloading stations. Likewise, the lighter load There are AGTs in Tokyo, the Yurikamome, commercial applications. The LTV Airtrans allows for a variety of suspension methods Nippori-Toneri Line that opened in 2007; was constructed at the Dallas-Fort Worth to choose from like steel wheels or rubber the Bukit Panjang Light Rapid Transit International Airport and went into full tires or air cushion vehicles or maglevs. in Singapore; the Muzha Line in Taipei; operation in 1975. Thereafter, more airports The other benefit of the AGT is its the Scarborough RT in Toronto, Ontario; adapted the technology especially to connect automated feature that reduces the headways Docklands Light Railway in London, UK; terminals to parking lots. Today, most and operational costs that would otherwise and the Metromover in Miami, Florida. airports around the world make use of this be paid to crews. -(pc&d rpg)
January-February 2013
Philippine Construction&Design
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COVER STORY
DOST-MIRDC engineers offer alternative mode of transportation Automated Guideway Transit system prototype is put to the test
Photos and Story by: Rodolfo de Guzman
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he Metal Industry Research and Development Center or MIRDC has successfully constructed a prototype of the automated guideway transit system or AGT at the University of the Philipines in Diliman campus. The aim is to provide an alternative mode of transportation in the metropolis. With the worsening traffic conditions in urbanized areas like Metromanila, this development may yet be the answer to the daily woes of the commuting public. MIRDC is a research institute attached to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), a government agency whose mandate is to create and promote Filipino inventions and new technologies that can be applied for commercial and industrial use. Tasked to undertake this project is a team of young engineers from MIRDC composed of Engineer Bryan Rasco (a civil engineer), Engineer Ryan Alvin Roldan (an electrical engineer), Engineer Jorge Gucos (a mechanical engineer) Senior Science Research Specialist Rea C. Castro and Engineer Jonathan Q. Puerto, Team Leader and Officer in Charge of the Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Research and Development of MIRDC. The AGT project has a funding of P60 16
With the UP prototype, we will be testing it further even “ though we already have positive results from the DOST model simply because the former is elevated”
--- Engr. Jorge Gucos
million coming from the department’s budget and when found viable, the technology will be offered to interested private companies that are looking for investments in the transportation business. A novel idea The idea of coming up with an automated guideway transit system or AGT similar to the existing Light Railway Transit (LRT) and Metro Railway Transit (MRT) started with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo. The worsening traffic condition and air pollution in the metropolis were two of the reasons why the idea was conceptualized. Likewise, the experiment aims to reduce travel time by commuters, increase efficiency and productivity of people and energy conservation to lessen dependence
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
on fossil fuels. The lead agency, MIRDC, is being assisted by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). Also, other government agencies were consulted prior to implementation like the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the University of the Philippines Diliman, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or Philvocs. AGT prototype The prototype being developed is called the automated guideway transit system or simply AGT. “It is quite similar to the existing LRT and MRT lines. The difference is that the AGT is smaller in scale since it is not really intended as a mass transit
the team also determined that the physical location, terrain and volume of traffic inside the university campus are ideal factors for a test area. They also considered the prospect of acceptability. The team believed that the university is the appropriate venue to test a new idea since most students and faculty are known to be more open-minded and receptive to novel initiatives.
“
It is quite similar to the existing LRT and MRT lines. The difference is that the AGT is smaller in scale since it is not really intended as a mass transit system.
”
–Engr. Jonathan Puerto
system,” explained Engr. Jonathan Puerto. The prototype is being developed to be used for secondary and tertiary roads where the present mode of transportation are tricycles, pedicabs or where people simply walk to reach the main thoroughfares to ride the LRT and MRT train. According to Engr. Puerto, the design was made to fit the narrow streets of Metromanila as it can maneuver in a very small turning radius of up to 13 meters. The entire system will only cover a distance of 465 meters which the team of engineers said was just the right length for a prototype to be able to assess fully its viability as well as determine the function, operation and possibly the possible flaws of the design if there are any. “The prototype is composed of four major sections or components. The first one is the rolling stock that is composed of the chassis, bogie, axles, and coaches. The second is the electrical control system that includes the electric motors and transformers. The third component is the elevated track made up of the reinforced concrete columns, the steel rail tracks, concrete platforms and side walls. The last portion is made up of the loading and unloading stations,” said Engr. Puerto. There will be a total of 25 columns to be erected for the entire length of the railway. “Each column is made of reinforced concrete with steel bars to give it strength and stability and will stand up to 4.2 meters in height,” revealed Engr. Bryan Rasco, the civil engineer in the team. The prototype was designed to carry two coaches with a maximum capacity of 30 passengers per coach. The team also stated that the load capacity of each coach is roughly 30 tons. Each axle can carry 7.5 tons maximum and each coach is fitted with four axles. Tailor-made design system The AGT system was designed to have slightly unique features that the team can be proud of. The team said that the design of the physical look is uniquely Filipino although the concept behind the technology is not new and has been used by other countries as early as the 70’s and 80’s. The style of the mechanical components
was also designed locally. Although the electric motors and insulators were sourced from India, most of the parts were made locally following the specifications given by the team of engineers. “We need not reinvent the wheel; what we did was we studied the concepts and technology and adapted them to local conditions. We also put in our own innovations especially on the design of the coaches,” stated Engr. Puerto. UP Diliman Since it is a government funded project, they decided to put it up at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, the premier university in the country. They believe the state university’s reputation will lend credence to the project aside from the technical assistance that the UP College of Engineering will provide. With other considerations to think of,
Foreseen benefits The prototype is simply an experiment to see if the idea will work. A 500-meter prototype is simultaneously being tested at the DOST compound and is already working with positive results. “With the UP prototype, we will be testing it further even though we already have positive results from the DOST model simply because the former is elevated,” said Engr. Jorge Gucos. It is expected that the prototype will register the projected economic and social benefits that the team envisioned in the first place. Since the system will be running on electricity, there will be no pollutants released in the air. It will be more economical compared to using buses and jeepneys that use gasoline. Also, the benefit of the AGT is the possibility of zero accident since it will run above ground. For so many years of operation, the LRT and MRT have not reported any accident that can be attributed to vehicular accidents. When the UP AGT prototype operation has been fully evaluated and found to be feasible for commercial use, the DOST-MIRDC will simply make the technology available for private investors or the government through DOTC for implementation. When this happens, the transportation system in the metropolis will truly be revolutionized.
Steelworkers are being done on the ramp leading to the AGT coaches as entry and exit points.
January-February 2013
Philippine Construction&Design
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project report-private
Casino in Manila-Belle grande
$2-B casino complex can withstand 8 quake Belle Grande Leisure and Entertainment Hub Stands on reclaimed land covered in piles By Ed Velasco
BUSINESS is about taking risks, so says an old adage.
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his adage perfectly fits business mogul Henry Sy as the mall and banking tycoon is set to inaugurate his $2-billion Belle Grande Leisure and Entertainment Hub at Aseana Boulevard in Paranaque City sometime this year. The place where a new casinoentertainment-leisure park will be nestled is very close to the future site of the more ambitious Entertainment (E)-City of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). What separates the two multibillion dollar projects is that the Henry Syowned investment is already starting while the Pagcor project has yet to start late this year. Belle’s casino project will
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put to three the casino-entertainment complexes in the area. The other one, Bloomberry Resorts Corporation is owned by pier and mining mogul Enrique Razon. The expected mushrooming of casino complexes will put the Philippines in the same league as Macau, the gambling Mecca in the world, in the next three years in terms of revenues. Sy’s casino investment is a gambit as his bigger rival, Pagcor, will be a $10 billion investment in a 100-hectare complex within the area. This early, Belle Corporation has a clear vision as to why it is diversifying in the casino business. “Yes sir, we aim to
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
www.casinoinmanila.com
rival E-City. This is business; and business is about taking new ventures,” explains Ethel Manalo, Belle senior marketing specialist. Actually, the casino project of Belle will not only rival E-City but also the three other operators who were granted licenses to operate similar project. Meeting competition Maybe people will think that the Belle Grande Leisure and Entertainment Hub is far smaller than its three other competitors but those behind the Belle project are not in the business of running away from competition. Belle’s venture into the casino business is the result of Pagcor’s awarding four casino licenses in 2008 and 2009 to operate in the Manila Bay area. The four slots have been filled up less than 60 days after Pagcor announced it. It went to Resorts World, Bloomberry, Universal Entertainment Corp. and Belle Corporation. “We can offer what other casinos can offer,” Manalo continued. A bird’s eye view of the Belle casino and leisure park: total area of 7 hectares, 45 meters high edifice, 880 hotel rooms classified as 4, 5 and 6 stars, four 3D cinemas and a shopping mall. The 880-room hotel will be operated by three international hotel brands led by Radisson. The casino project alone will
“
If the foundation is put on piles, it is totally safe from collapsing even during a magnitude-8 earthquake
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- former president explained be nestled on a 3.6 hectare property while the mall will be on a 2.5-hectare lot. Belle Grande’s location is strategic since it is at the center of Aseana Business Park in Parañaque City, just 50 meters away from the Department of Foreign Affairs office and other commercial and office buildings. It will have a total gaming area of 1.8 hectares surrounded by food and beverage outlets and luxury retail stores at the margins. The company broke ground for the mall component in February 2012 and is expected to finish the retail complex by mid-2014. The mall will have 60,000 to 90,000 square meters of retail space. The mall will also have a world-class performing arts theater. Despite the size of the project, there will be no special construction features, plans or materials. The project, however, will concentrate on building a strong foundation because it is located in a reclaimed area. Foundation under piles The foundation of the $-2 billion casino-mall complex is very stable because it lies under solid piles. One of the contractors of the casino-malls to be built in the reclaimed area, DM Consunji, Inc., has done a lengthy research before finally deciding where to build the structure. Filipinas Dravo Corp., the architectural and engineering consultant of DMCI, said the main objective of putting its foundation under piles is to transfer the load of the structure to the hard soil underground. “Putting it on piles is an engineering solution practiced by engineers worldwide,” said Isaac David, Filipinas Dravo Corp.’s president for 16 years and now connected to its sister firm, the MTD-Sltc of Malaysia.
www.pinoyprogress.com
Putting the foundation under piles will also address flooding because the structure can be elevated from the ground at any height at the discretion of the owner/developer. Another purpose for putting the foundation on piles is to avoid liquefaction in the event of a powerful earthquake. “If the foundation is put on piles, it is totally safe from collapsing even during a magnitude-8 earthquake,” David explained. Before the developer determined the final elevation of the structure from the piles, DM Consunji Inc. has already determined the maximum flood level as input to the final architectural and engineering design of the project. David said the reclamation of around 660 hectares of Manila Bay from 1976 to 1981 can be considered almost perfect as there have been no flooding incidences recorded in the area even during heavy rain. The successful reclamation of the area served as an engineering model for other countries. Hong Kong, Portugal, Macau, Jakarta in Indonesia and Brunei part of Borneo island, replicated the same with their own reclamation projects. New gaming center Once operational, the Belle project will be like a new Resorts World, a casino complex that offers the same services as most casinos around the world do. Belle would have to undertake a second round of financing to meet the frontloading of expenses arising from Pagcor’s
new requirement. Gaming licensees were required to put up their proposed hotel component of the project first before the casino can start operation. Pagcor also said the firm must change the number of hotel rooms so it can qualify as an integrated casino and tourism hub. If it becomes a certified tourism hub, the Department of Tourism will include it in the list of recommended tourist destinations. Center of investments Manalo said they decided to locate at Aseana because the potential of the area for profitability is very big compared to other places like Global City, Ortigas or Makati. “Almost all major investments are here.” Manalo also said their firm is not worried by the fact that E-City will be funded by Wynn Resorts, the biggest casino operator in the world. Wynn owns casino operation in two of the most expensive hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada— the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay. E-City, which will start construction late this year, will be located in a 100-hectare complex in front of Heritage Hotel in Edsa. The putting up of casino complexes in the area will eventually turn the place like a Las Vegas that was transformed from a desert area into an entertainment hub in the 1950s.
January-February 2013
Philippine Construction&Design
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ARCHITECT PROFILE
“
The firm is composed of teams and the architectural team usually proposes the plans that bear the general concepts that are unique, memorable and identifiable
www.business.inquirer.net
”
Arch. Felino A. Palafox, Jr.
Arch. Felino A. Palafox, Jr.
Creating imprints in the global architectural scene By: Katherine Verances Marfal
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will themselves not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.”
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he above quote from Daniel Burnham became the inspiration of Architect Felino A. Palafox, Jr. to reach his current stature. Palafox is fourth in a family of ten siblings. His father was a lay minister and doctor while her mother was a teacher. Back when he was a kid, he would enjoy making townships, group of buildings, mountains, bridges, and rivers while they were in the beach. That early, he had shown interest in constructing and making designs. Yet, at his young age, he also wanted to become a priest. “We always attend the mass as a family. I also became a mass
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server when I was a child” Palafox recalled. In his teenage years, he entered the seminary in New Manila, Quezon City. During weekends, he would visit his uncle who was working as an engineer for the Ayala company. He saw the transformation of various construction projects in Makati and this influenced him to change his vocation from becoming a priest to be an architect. He went out of the seminary and studied Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Santo Tomas and graduated in 1972.
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
–Arch. Felino A. Palafox, Jr.
Promising career His first job was as an architect-urban planner in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. This job gave him the opportunity to transform a desert into a garden city. He had a great stay in Dubai earning him a lot of experience and personal fulfillment. “With my work, my family and I were able to travel very often. My family life was great when I was working in Dubai” he said. At that time, Palafox was the youngest architect-urban planner in Dubai. He was also the only Southeast Asian architect in Dubai at that time. After many years, he was encouraged by his uncle to go back to the Philippines. When he came back, he was hired by Henry Sy and the late Zobel. Later on, he became an architect-urban planner for Ayala Corporation. He worked with the firm for six and a half years. One of his major projects was the development of the Ayala Center in Makati City. Despite his enviable achievements, the young Palafox was far from being complacent and was looking for more challenges in his career. So, at the young age of 39, he made a bold move; he retired from work. Palafox Associates rising In 1989, Palafox Associates was born with only just three staff. The firm is engaged in architectural design, urban planning, master planning and site planning. It later on diversified in creating project development studies, interior design, landscape architecture and engineering. In December 1991, the company was registered as a professional partnership firm and since then has gained international exposure with work commissions from over 30 countries. The firm has been involved in the architectural design of more than 10 billion square meters of building area and master planned over 100 communities covering more than five million square meters of land all over the world. Palafox Associates has worked with
internationally known firms in the field of planning and architecture, landscape architecture and engineering. To name a few, the firm collaborated with Skidmore Owings & Merril (SOM); RTKL; Helmuth Obata Kassabaum Inc. (HOK); Duany, Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ); and the Jerde Partnership. Also, Palafox Associates worked with topnotch golf course architects like Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Tom Weiskopf, and Greg Norman. The Palafox teams The world-renowned architectural firm is composed of diverse groups that tackle conceptual design with different approaches to every project. As designers, the firm adopts no distinct style but considers the uniqueness of the site and the goals of its clients. “The firm is composed of teams and the architectural team usually proposes the plans that bear the general concepts that are unique, memorable and identifiable,” disclosed Palafox. To express concepts, visual imagery aids the clients to what architectural concept is most apt for the project proposed. Aside from conceptual imagery, Palafox Associates’ architectural team renders alternatives on plans and elevations that do not limit the choices but allow the clients to explore the many possibilities of other conceptual designs. Among the services offered include site analysis, space programming, space allocation, conceptual design, schematic design, design development, constructionworking drawing, and site supervision project development. On the other hand, the engineering team is proficient in the design and construction of structures and systems. It has two groups, namely: engineering design and site engineering. The former prepares the design development drawings, provides technical consultancy, and assist in selection and approval of materials to be used.
plant site; the Robinsons Starmills; the SM Southmall and SM City Fairview, two revolutionary shopping malls that departed from the run-of-the-mill and hackneyed box-shaped shopping centers. The firm has also developed golf course communities like Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club and the Manila Southwoods. It has designed and developed master planned residential communities like The Promenade, Pacific Heights, La Marea and the Grand Centennial Homes. With this, the company carried out work on entertainment, leisure and business communities like the Ecocentrum in Laguna and the First Philippine Industrial Park in Batangas. In other parts of the world, Palafox Associates did the architectural and interior design for the Qatar Twin Towers, Qatar; Jing Shen Plaza (Phase 2) in Beijing, China; Building 927, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and West End Estates, Punjab, India. Other international projects include, among others, Pinnacles Development, Monterey, California; Sharm City of Stars, Egypt; Jabal Khandama Master Plan, Saudi Arabia; Saipan Golf and Country Club; Al Sharaf Shopping Center, United Arab Emirates; Tok Bali Fish Port and Tourism Estate, Malaysia; the Tzu Chi Convention Center, Taiwan; and the Jakarta Urban Transit, Indonesia. To date, Palafox Associates is the first Filipino architectural firm to be cited in the World’s Top 500 Architectural Firms of the World Architecture Magazine. In 2006, it ranked 94th-holding the distinction of being the only Southeast Asian firm to be included in the list. Last year, Palafox Associates ranked 89th in the world-ranking dominated by American, European, Japanese, Australian and Chinese firms. Moreover, the firm was certified ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) by the TUV
of Germany in architecture, urban planning, master planning, interior design, landscape architecture and engineering. The imprint With all the accolades, awards and recognitions that Architect Felino A. Palafox, Jr. has received, he remained vigilant in his advocacy to create architectural and building designs that blend with nature. In all his projects, be it a shopping center or an industrial estate or a residential enclave, Palafox always follow his firm’s Four Guiding Principles: Professionalism, Excellence, Nature and the Environment. He and his firm recognizes that they are merely borrowing the environment from future generations; therefore they endeavor to minimize the impact of their actions, plans and designs, and on the other hand, enhance the environment and minimize the negative impact of development. “I remember one of my professors in Life and Career Balance who asked us; if you die tonight, how will you write your eulogy and think who among your friends will write your eulogy?” disclosed Palafox. He was the only Asian and the first Filipino to study Life and Career Balance in Harvard University. This question left him with a thought on what legacy he can leave behind. “I am not exactly a saint but I am a very prayerful person. And I can risk my life to expose corruption because I believe that telling the truth could make a difference in our society,” Palafox described. “Even if you’re the best architect in the world but if you practice your profession with the society of corruption you will never take the full benefit of getting the highest potential,” he ended.
Milestones Palafox Associates, under the able leadership of its founder, continues to plan and design world class and state-of-theart architectural developments that leave a certain imprint in the lives of those who use the firm’s creations. Examples of these innovative development initiatives introduced through the firm’s signature projects are as follows: the Rockwell Center in Makati City, an inner city revitalization project of a former power Arch. Palafox with Ilocanos Norte Governor Imee Marcos (left) and with his architechural staff in his office (right).
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engineer profile
A shaky career that guaranteed safety Engr. Christopher Gonzales’ path to success By Ed Velasco
MOST people don’t realize that anti-earthquake devices and foundations are as crucial to the project itself as far as safety is concerned. Every hollow block or steel frame is a vital component of any building to maintain its structural stability. More so, it is important to ensure that the integrity of the structure, be it a bridge or a high rise condominium, is sound and can withstand natural calamities like an earthquake. In the late 80s, seismic design was adapted to prevent occurrence of structural collapses during strong eathquake. The adoption of seismic design also prevents the structure from being carried away by violent winds when there is a typhoon. It was also during those years when the use of grade 33 steel was discontinued because its tensile strength was not capable of withstanding a magnitude-7 quake. After the discontinuance of use of grade 33, grade 40 and the toughest grade 60 were introduced. Among the most common structures where grade 33 steel were formerly used were bridges, including nonload bearing structures. From that year, at least seven antiearthquake devices/gadgets/techniques have also been developed for civil structures that conform to global standards as far as earthquake protection is concerned.
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The seven are (1) micro piling, a solid concrete measuring 0.3-0.8 meters under every foundation buried on piles; (2) bored piles, also a solid concrete measuring 0.82.0 meters under the foundation of bridges, metro rails or skyways; (3) mat foundation, a solid, whole foundation under the structure; (4) isolated footing, a foundation that usually measures 1x1 meter divided into several parts through steel and concrete rebars dependng on soil condition and budget of the structure; (5) expansion joint, a hard rubber belt that prevents/absorbs movement of elevated structures; (6) cable restrainer, a solid steel that prevents girders from falling/ detachment from coping beam during an earthquake; and (7) bearing pad, a very hard rubber placed before a girder is connected to the coping beam of bridges or skyways. Micro piling is commonly used in highrise buildings. On the other hand, bored files
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are used for bridges, metro rails and skyways. The mat foundation and isolated footing are also for similar structures. Bearing pads, cable restrainers and expansion joints are also used in bridges, skyways and metro rails. Among the seven mentioned materials/ techniques that aim to provide safety against collapse in times of quakes, it is the mat foundation that is the most expensive because it is considered a total foundation that can support any structure when an earthquake occurs. Since mat foundation is a total foundation, it is quite expensive. The cost for a 1,000-square meter structure can reach between P1.2 million to P1.5 million. “Every structure can have an anti-quake device depending on the budget the owner sets, sight condition and load requirements,” the engineer said. The micro piling and bored piles do not involve excavation but insertions using a special boring equipment.On the other hand, mat foundation and isolated footing are excavations. Bearing pads and expansion joints can now be manufactured locally although imported ones are still available from USA or South Korea. The most famous brand of bearing pad, cable restrainer and expansion joint is Craneveyor, an American brand. The biggest benefit of mat foundation
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Every structure can have an anti-quake device depending on the budget the owner sets, sight condition and load requirements.
”
–Engr. Christopher Gonzales is that it will never collapse even with an earthquake of magnitude 10 because the structure will just follow the movement of the ground. However, if the structure used was isolated footing, any of the foundation could collapse because its steel ropes and concrete rebars could give way. “If you see a building that falls on one side while the other parts are intact, for sure its foundation is isolated footing,” he said.
few structures in the Philippines uses this type. Among the buildings that have mat foundation that Gonzales’ firm installed were the Pacific Star Building in Makati Avenue corner Gil Puyat in Makati and the Philippine National Bank main office along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay. These two buildings spent some P200 million for anti-quake foundation alone. Because of this Gonzales is confident they are the only 100 percent earthquake-proof buildings in the Philippines so far. However, Gonzales was quick to add that there are no guarantees in anti-quake devices because it can only be proven effective when the structure does not collapse during an earthquake. “The expenses, whether you consider the capacity or not, is still biggest for the mat
Built from scratch Installing an anti-earthquake device requires a thorough study of the area by the engineer to avoid possible mistakes. One of the most well-known anti-quake contractors in the Philippines is Mastech, a 100-percent Filipino-owned firm established more than 25 years ago. Mastech (short for mass technology) is headed by Engr. Christopher Gonzales, a licensed civil engineer from Feati University. He graduated in 1977 and eight years thereafter, established Mastech with only P60,000 in capital. Unlike most of the more than 3,000 contractors of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Mastech was built from scratch. Gonzales has limited work experience but he disclosed to have practiced what he studied on the massive repairs he had done on their ancestral house in Malay, Aklan. The repairs took almost a year and for him he considered it virtual work experience in any private firm. “Despite the absence of actual engineering practice, I put up Mastech, and none of my clients complained about my work or on any of my projects,” Gonzales told Philippine Construction and Design. Without batting an eyelash, the engineer said the materials/ techniques he uses are also used in other countries.
foundation,” the engineer explained. On the other hand, isolated footing can be considered a poor man’s anti-quake protection as it is currently priced between P10,000-P12,000 per cubic meter. Expansion joint costs P30,000 per lineal meter while a cheapest bearing pad costs P500/each. There are three sizes of bearing pad—70 mm, 50 mm and 40 mm. Cable retrainers, on the other hand, cost P8,000 per lineal meter. Micro piles and bored piles are already included in the cost of cement and concrete done by the contractor or ordered from any ready-mix plant.
2 bldgs in PHL 100% quake proof Gonzales said the prohibitive cost of mat foundation is the main reason why very
800 structures built Since putting up Mastech, Gonzales has installed anti-quake gadgets/materials in
800 structures, both as lone contractor or sub-contractor. He considers his “crowning moment” the putting up of the 4,000-meter long cable restrainer along the very famous 2.1 kilometer San Juanico bridge in April 2003. The project lasted for seven months and cost P35 million. “What really challenged me was how we were able to put those so many cable restrainers under the bridge. The water current was so strong that safety was a big consideration,” he explained. After the San Juanico bridge project, Mastech became a household name in the industry. Mastech’s most recent project was the Sales bridge in Nichols Interchange in Pasay where half kilometer expansion joints were installed in between the bridge’s girders. The human side Despite his success in business, Gonzales remains a very humble man and said that Mastech is not the biggest contractor of DPWH despite the big contracts he had worked on. “I’m just a simple man who also gets irritated if my engineers and architects do not follow my instructions,” he said. Gonzales, a handicap-36 golfer, is a loving husband who has been married for more than 30 years now and has two children. Despite his hectic business schedules attending to project biddings, he never forgets to find time to play golf at least twice a week at Southwoods. Whether playing golf or doing a project, Gonzales focuses his mind to do the task to the best of his ability so that clients will not feel shortchanged. “My motto is quality and safety. Never leave anything to chance for any accident can happen and ruin your day,” he said. If there are things that he still wants to achieve, he simply said he wanted to continue building safe and sound structures using whatever knowledge he has gained. “It is my passion to build structures for the progress of the economy,” the engineer enthused. Gonzales, as a family man has equally achieved great deeds as a successful engineer. As a businessman, he also exhibited entrepreneurial acumen. But first and foremost in his mind is his profession, a gift that he attributes to his Creator. “I am an engineer. I will always be an engineer. I will never change anything in myself,” he said.
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contractor profile
Filipinas Dravo Corporation Putting premium on engineering consultancy services By Ed Velasco
F
www.clarksubicmarketing.com
ilipinas Dravo Corporation (FDC) entered the Philippine construction scene in 1979, and since then had worked with over 70 local and 45 international clients.
It all started when Dravo, Inc. USA teamed up with then Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines, the predecessor of Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC). It started with only three clients until its number grew the following years. Some of the major projects constructed under the supervision of FDC are the following: Skyway 1 and 2, the new South Luzon Expressway, Olongapo-Gapan Road, Ninoy Aquino International Airport 2 and 3, Bacolod Airport, Port Irene, MRT 1, 2 and 3, the new DFA consular office and the three new casinos at the E-City at the Aseana Complex in Pasay City. These projects have all passed rigid screening and were certified by international inspection entities like the Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia (REAAA), a 76-member group that oversees all major road works in East, Southeast Asia and Australia.
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From start to finish FDC responds timely and creatively to its client’s needs that ensures the attainment of objectives. The firm implements the so-called Total Work Approach (TWA) where the systems, experience, technology and people complement each other to successfully manage and complete its services. TWA involves the thorough inspection, overseeing and correction of inaccuracies of any project submitted to them, according to Engineer Manuel Berina, the firm’s chief operating officer. “All projects are viewed as an entire picture so that corrections are immediately done,” Berina added. The firm is capable of overseeing any project from start to finish; some of which are the following: highways, expressways, bridges, viaducts, interchanges, airports, helipads, wharves, ports, mass rail transit systems, condominiums, hotels, restaurants, public markets, shopping complexes, factories, dams, and thermal plants.
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
Projects FDC is presently involved in the feasibility study to build the Panglao International Airport. The airport will have a resort facing one of Visayas’ most pristine wharves. The project is just on the bidding stage. Some of the clients of FDC are the Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways, National Transmission Corporation, South Luzon Tollways Corporation, Philippine National Construction Corporation, D. M. Consunji, Inc., Prudential Life Assurance Corp., Almec Corporation, Canadian Highways International Corporation, John Laing International, Ltd., P.T. Citra Lamtoro Gung Persada (Citra), Asian Development Bank and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The firm has just finished the TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway (Tplex), an 89-kilometer road linked to the SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway. Nothing less than best Engineer Isaac David, former president of FDC for 16 years, said in order for them to give the best advice to clients, they make sure that they hire only the best engineers and architects from the best schools here and abroad.
Those who finished civil, industrial, computer and electrical engineering from the University of the Philippines (UP), Mapua Institute of Technology or University of Sto. Tomas (UST) and those who belong to the top 20 in the board examinations have the chance of being hired by FDC. For example, David was FDC’s main man behind its numerous projects from the ‘90s to mid-2000s. In fact, David is the only Filipino that is a member of REAAA. Ric Yuzon, FDC’s current president, is one of the few Filipinos accredited by the World Bank as a world class highway design engineer. Berina, on the other hand, is considered as one of the country’s best reclamation engineers. David was from UST, Yuson came from Mapua and Berina was a product of UP. Cream of the crop The firm, aside from getting the best minds in the industry has also recruited people based on their experience. The firm currently has 10 architects and 80 engineers, all from UP, Mapua and UST and belonged to the top 20 in the board examinations. “To balance the technical expertise of its staff, FDC has full-time financial managers with extensive experience in construction, finance, project feasibility studies and turnkey project packaging,” Engr. Ric Yuzon said. Further, the organization is structured to harness the synergy of a select group of technical consultants, both local and
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We have the best people in the engineering and architectural fields in the country. That is our edge over our 10 to 15 competitors. FDC people are experienced and our track record is solid from the time we started the consultancy business 33 years ago.
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---Engr. Manuel Berina
foreign,and a pool of full time professional architects and engineers, managers, computer programmers and administrative personnel. The firm recently tied up with Dr. Salvador Reyes, one of the few living Filipino engineers with a doctorate degree from UP and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Reyes was tapped for the Skyway 2 project. FDC personnel are equipped with the latest in computer technology and state-ofthe-art engineering equipment to render its
www.fildravo.com
clients full technological advantage while adhering to time-tested engineering and architectural principles. Foreign connections FDC has numerous foreign affiliates and partners that include Aepo and Iberinsa of Spain, DMJM of USA, Katahira Engineers, Int’l of Japan, Renardet S.A. of Italy, Tien Phat Corporation of Vietnam, Sir William Halcrow and Partners of UK, Minconsult SDN BHD of Malaysia and Sambo Engineering Ltd. of South Korea. The recent project it did with a foreign partner, Parsons and Brinkerhoff of Netherlands, was in the preparation of a master plan for the Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s facility at the Global City in Taguig in October 2011. With FDC’s experience, capabilities and resources, its service boundaries have expanded to as far as Yemen, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Guam and California. State-of-the-art software David said the advent of computer-aided designs is the most challenging threat to any consultancy firm because the designs that come about in the Philippines are similar to those found in first world countries. To ensure that its battery of engineers and architects are equipped with the most advanced and latest engineering designs, FDC sends selected employees to 1-2 year trainings and seminars abroad to learn the latest in computer technology. There are two engineering design software—Civil 3D and Arkicad—that the firm is seriously looking at because of frequent changes in versions. Both enable the user/designer to come up with their own designs. Civil 3D is used in road designing while Arkicad is used in building designing. Majority of the trainings are held at UP or at the Mapua School of Engineering while some are held in Singapore and USA. The most common training program, held at least twice a year, is the basic refresher course for all newly-hired engineers and architects. David said that one of the most challenging aspects about the business of engineering and architectural consultancy is the frequent
evolution of the Autocad (auto computeraided designs) software, laser and global positioning system. FDC expects the newest version of Arkicad to come out this year. The GPS, on the other hand, helps the engineer to identify exact locations where expressways/ roads can be built anywhere in the world. Laser technology, according to Berina, helps engineers execute precise straight lines for structural projects. Filipino engineers “We have the best people in the engineering and architectural fields in the country. That is our edge over our 10 to 15 competitors. FDC people are experienced and our track record is solid from the time we started the consultancy business 33 years ago,” Berina said. The use of GPS technology and advance laser-aided Autocad are the reasons why Dubai was able to construct Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made tower in the world at 2,723 feet (160 floors) in January 2010. At least seven Filipino engineers worked at Burj Khalifa, according to news reports. Burj Khalifa was constructed by acquiring a very tall crane used by one of its contractors, the Skidmore Owings and Merryl. To ensure stability, the foundation was buried in piles even though the soil in Dubai is solid. Looking beyond One of FDC’s future plans is to concentrate on projects to be nestled on reclaimed areas in the Philippines particularly in the provinces of Cebu, Cagayan, La Union and Bohol. In the pipeline is the Panglao International Airport in Bohol that is earmarked to start construction anytime this year and is expected to be completed by 2015. This P4.17- billion project, though, is facing some serious scrutiny from various groups as some parties want the government to spend the money instead in refurbishing NAIA 1, 2 and 3 due to the volume of air traffic in Luzon.
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supplier profile
Holcim
Cement tightens its grip on market leadership Holds on to three decades of product excellence By Ed Velasco
W
hen asked what is the company’s secret, Ed Sahagun, the company’s senior vice president for commercial operations said, “Our secret formula is our products that we ensure are of the highest quality that our customers demand from us.” Since entering the Philippine market in 1974, Holcim has slowly built up its capability in supplying the construction industry by starting off with just a single type of cement. In fact, it took the firm several decades before it became a household name in cement products. Holcim gained prominence in 2007 when it snatched the leadership from the top six cement firms operating in the country. Since that year, more than 300,000 bags of various types of cement are being sold every month. According to the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines or CeMap, 60-70 percent of cement in the market is supplied by Holcim. Four cement types The firm has four types of cement—the Excel, Wallright, Holcim 4x and Holcim Premium—where the first is the general type; the second for masonry purposes, ideal for both structural and non-structural
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www.cemap.org.ph
Holcim Cement is determined to hold on to its strong grip on market leadership in the Philippine cement industry that it has been enjoying for the past four years. Holcim, a multinational company, attributes it present status to the high quality products that it manufactures.
Holcim plant Mindanao photo purposes; third is for large construction projects; and the last is for high performance Portland cement that is considered a premier brand of the highest quality. Sahagun said that their firm is currently the only local manufacturer of type II cement, which is ideal for applications that require moderate sulfate resistance or moderate heat of hydration. Type II cement is widely used for massive structures or those that spans hundreds of thousands of square meters, such as dams and mat foundations. Holcim products are sold in three variants namely in regular bags, jumbo bags and in bulk. The company operates four cement plants in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental and Davao City. It currently employs more than 1,800 employees throughout the Philippines. When asked how many percent of the cement industry Holcim holds, Sahagun
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said, “I cannot say. All I know is we are the leader in the industry. We are in 17 regions and our operations are very wide and saturated.” Total construction solution “We endeavor to provide not just products and services, but total construction solutions. Finally, we see to it that the Holcim brand experience is one of reliability, openness and responsiveness. All Holcim products conform to the stringent Holcim Group’s global quality standards,” Sahagun told Philippine Construction and Design. The careful preparation of all cement products serves as the firm’s competitive advantage. He said there is no need for them to have after sales service as they have not received any single complaint about their products after they have been used. Wallright is specifically used for structural
Roland Van Wijnen, COO of Holcim Philippines, during one of the seminars.
Its high-end brand, the Holcim Premium, is a high performance Portland cement. It has four unique product features, namely: a high 28-day compressive strength that allows for early project completion and relatively lower construction costs; improved initial setting time that results in better workability of concrete; better admix compatibility that spells more flexibility; and lower cement temperature that yields high quality structures. “The superior qualities of Holcim Premium makes it the ideal cement for high-rise buildings and major infrastructure
Research and development According to Sahagun, the company’s current yearly production capacity is enough to meet market demand. However, Holcim continues to strengthen its research and development efforts to improve and develop possible new cement products that the market may demand. However, Holcim foresees no need to come up with new cement types in the near future. Sahagun said that the present four types of cement are enough to meet every demand of their customers. “We still don’t know if there is a sector that will require us
projects,” Sahagun emphasized. All the raw materials used by Holcim are sourced domestically, mostly in the mountains of Rizal and Zambales provinces. The basic raw material, that is limestone, is sourced from quarries near the company’s plants.
to come up with a fifth type of cement. As of now, none so far,” Sahagun said. Despite the present scenario, Holcim makes its research and development an integral part of Holcim’s business. Since Holcim is a 100 percent cement firm, it has no plans yet of diverting operations or developing new materials for construction. “Product development is a continuing effort to ensure that we continue to meet customer needs, he explained. Sahagun was quick to add that there is a discount for institutional buyers like contractors and engineering companies but he said, “I cannot disclose these for competitive reasons.” After three decades of hard work, dedication to excellence and commitment to product quality, Holcim is not resting on its laurels. Nor is Holcim making any promises. What is evident is that the company maintains a strong resolve to continue producing high quality cement that will keep them one step ahead of competition.
www.aggregateresearch.com
and non-structural applications. Both are offered as bagged products prepared at least two weeks before use. Bagged products are ordered in advance for a minimum of 2,000 bags per order. The most unique feature of both cement types are the mineral additives that have been mixed. The mineral additive that remains a trade secret helps Excel cement 40-kilo bag attain a higher early strength. The higher early strength shortens construction time as it dries faster than other cement types/brands. “It is also more workable, thus eliminating the need for repairs and rework,” Sahagun added. Wallright is designed for easy application and has a 200 percent more bond strength than other cements, particularly generalpurpose cement. Its special formulation gives it a smoother and whiter finish, thus ideal for plastering. On the other hand, Holcim 4x is used for large construction projects.
7.7M ton annual production At present, the firm’s total annual production capacity is 7.7 million tons. This is produced in the company’s cement facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental and Davao City. Likewise, Holcim has diversified into production of ready mix concrete that comes from its facilities in Taguig and Paranaque. Ready mix concrete is widely used for elevated structures like metro rail transits (MRT), light rail transits (LRT) and skyways.
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project management
Waste management in construction sites Proper construction waste disposal and recycling assure safety
T
www.jwswaste.co.uk
he handling of construction waste materials is as important as the actual construction of the building and other structures. Inside a construction site there can be hundreds of tons of scrap metals, discarded wood, plastic materials and plastic junk from wrappers and packaging materials. Without a proper waste management plan and recycling program, the construction site can easily become a virtual landfill. The accumulation of construction waste, if not properly addressed at the beginning of the actual work can lead to many problems as the construction goes on. Because of improper storage of metal scraps, freak accidents may occur. If flammable chemicals and substances are just left outside without proper storage provisions, it can cause fire or toxic fumes can evaporate and compromise health of construction workers. It is therefore imperative to create a waste management plan that includes segregation and classification; storage and proper handling; recycling and reusing for
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other purposes and an environmentally safe disposal method. By doing this, the contractor as well as the project owner can avoid costly accidents as well as recover partial costs through reselling of scrap materials to recyclers and junk shops. The only key to proper implementation is to establish a feasible waste management plan coupled with sound construction site practices. Sound construction site management The safety manager, materials manager or the project manager can draft a construction
| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
waste management plan before the actual construction begins. The plan must include proper procurement and storage procedures. The person in charge of procurement of materials must follow certain guidelines as follows:
1. determine exact volume and amount of construction materials and supplies according to need and specification on the bill of materials; 2. assure that materials delivered are without damage and complete; 3. be aware of the source from where materials came from; 4. schedule time and date of deliveries so as to avoid stockpiling and fast turnover of inventory; 5. consider the packaging of materials if they can be recycled or not; and 6. store liquid materials and chemicals in enclosed storage bunks safe and weatherproof.
The project site manager must institute site activity guidelines and materials handling procedures that will ensure that work site is safe and wastage is minimized. The project site manager must institute site activity guidelines and materials handling procedures that will ensure that work site is safe and wastage is minimized. The project site manager can designate a specific materials recovery station inside the construction area where material discards are stored according to make and composition. Separate waste bins can be strategically located where access from different points is easy. The project site manager can designate separate waste bins for scrap metal like steel, wires, galvanized sheets; wood and lumber; paper and cartons; styrofoam and foil; and plastics and PVC pipes. All workers must be instructed to be aware of the 3 R’s of recycling: reduce, reuse, and recycle. At the same time all workers need to be conscious of the proper use of materials to avoid wastage and to work carefully as to minimize mistakes that can cause excessive use of materials. The contractor needs to coordinate with local government units with regard to proper collection and disposal of construction wastes. Residual wastes that go to landfills must properly segregated ensured that no toxic materials are mixed with them. Likewise, it will be a prudent practice for contractors to establish a network with recyclers, waste haulers and junk shops that can collect construction wastes appropriately. In doing so, the contractor can even recoup a certain amount through sale of recyclable materials.
Information for proper waste management may also be solicited from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Science and Technology(DoST), the Eco Waste Coalition, Green Peace Movement, Philippine Recyclers Inc., Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines and other similar organizations. The government agencies and organizations advocating environment protection and recycling offer seminars and trainings to equip communities and companies with the appropriate competency to address waste management and recycling. Sites for site waste management Today, a lot of websites offer a vast stock of information regarding proper waste management, waste disposal and waste recycling. The growing awareness about environment protection has given rise to companies and organizations that promote waste management. In the United Kingdom, the advocacy for waste management is so strong that companies and non-profit organizations together with the government work hand in hand in formulating a waste management strategy that enables each stakeholder to do its part. For more information on how they do waste management systems you can visit their websites: www.constructingexcellence.org. uk, www.stirling.gov.uk, www.smartwaste. co.uk, www.zerowastescotland.org.uk,
and www.ciwm.co.uk. In the Philippines, contractors can visit the environment advocates’ websites like Eco Waste Coalition, a non-government organization involved in environment protection, at www.ecowastecoalition.org;the Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines (Swapp) at www.swapp.,org.ph; DoST at www.dost.gov.ph; DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau at www.emb.gov.ph; and the Philippine Informal Waste Sector Network at www.piwsnet.swapp.org. Recycling directory In properly managing construction waste, the contractor has to be aware of the companies and organizations that can help and assist in the proper disposal of construction wastes. In the Philippines this would mean contacting recyclers and junk shops who can buy and collect construction waste for recycling. There are different companies that buy scrap metals, plastics, glass and paper. The contractor can simply log on to websites of government agencies like Department of Trade and Industry at www. dti.gov.ph and recycling companies like Integrated Recycling Industries of the Philippines Inc. at www.iri.com.ph and a listing of the different kinds of recyclable materials and where they can be sold is available. Contractors can get the listings of recyclers and the kinds of materials they process with just a click of the mouse.
Trainings The project site manager or the head project engineer is tasked with formulating a comprehensive training program and briefings for workers to be knowledgeable on proper waste management, disposal and recycling of construction materials. The contractor may tap the extension services of government agencies and nongovernment organizations or NGOs for the proper training of workers. The contractor can also employ the services of a licensed waste management company who will educate the workers on proper handling, collecting, segregating and storing of recyclable materials.
www.managewaste.ie
January-February 2013
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sales & marketing
Closing sales without really trying Hard selling is a thing of the past in marketing
T
here are already so many books written about marketing. Sales gurus like Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar and Mary Kay Ash have on their own created an impact in the development of sales and marketing as a management discipline. In the Philippines, Josiah Go and Prof. Ned Roberto regularly conduct salesmanship seminars. The goal of every event is to impart new ways and strategies to perfect the craft of selling. But, if selling is an art, then there must be special techniques that will enable a salesman close a sale without really trying. Or is selling an exact science where one relies on statistics, probability and experimentation to come up with an effective solution to create a sale. In whatever field selling maybe categorized, the fact remains that a salesperson needs to hold on to something to make a sale. That something is what is important to know if a salesperson is to succeed in making his or her first sale or his or her first million. Is there a sales formula to follow to be the greatest salesman in the world? Perhaps there is, but for Jill Konrath, an internationally recognized sales expert and author, closing a sale is quite simple and in fact, it only takes a dose of common sense. Selling is not about selling According to Konrath, sales is not all about selling a product or service. The more you try harder to sell, the more difficult it will be to close the sale. The selling process must focus on helping the customer realize that the shift from one product or service to another will result in positive gains for his business. www.blackboxmethod.com
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| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
It would be a grave mistake for a salesperson to just push a product that has no value added to his customer. It would be foolish for a salesperson to sell a lowerpriced product with only two months left on its expiry date as against the prospect’s present stock that has a one-year warranty. The prospect will know that you are just out there to dispose old stocks without concern for the welfare of the client. The salesperson must remember that selling is not merely getting the sale or commission. The more important objective of selling is to help the buyer benefit from what you are selling. Positive impact Another important consideration to close a sale is to know the positive impact your product or service will have on your prospect. It is vital to study the prospect’s business; how it operates and what are the statistical data available to determine what the needs are. A little research will go a long way. During a sales call, it will be helpful if the salesperson can get information relative to important management factors like company costs and production schedules. If the product offered is a drilling tool that has a lifetime warranty on service and parts, the sales person must determine how this feature for example will help the prospect save on costs. Definitely, with this offer, the salesperson is giving the prospect the benefit of reducing his expenses for repairs and maintenance. By zeroing in on the statistical side of the client’s business, the salesperson will be able to qualify the benefits he or she can offer. If the product or service will result in substantial savings for the company in the long run, then the prospect of closing a sale may be higher. Prepare questions Before making the sales call, the salesperson must prepare his or her list of questions to ask the prospect. After studying the company and its operation in general, the salesperson’s next step is to come up with questions during the actual sales call to determine the needs and the benefits the client is looking for to make a change. By posing relevant questions directed to determine the prospect’s market share, the strategies it employs to maximize the business, the cost of production, sales projections and plans, the salesperson can highlight the benefits of his or her products or services. It would be wise to situate one’s self as the buyer or customer and try to think like them. By putting yourself in the shoes of the client, the salesperson can get a good grasp of what
www.jenfongspeaks.com
It would be wise to situate one’s self as the buyer or customer and try to think like them. By putting yourself in the shoes of the client, the salesperson can get a good grasp of what the client would possibly need. the client would possibly need. This is what Konrath meant by “connecting the dots” through the answers to questions directed to the prospect. This way, the salesperson gets to see the entire picture and profile of his or her customer. It pays to know whom you are dealing with. There is no room for secondguessing. Sharing stories In conducting the sales call, it is also important to share with the prospect the other clients who had availed of your products or services. By telling the stories of other clients and how they benefitted from your product or service, the prospect might be able to relate and therefore agree to what you’re offering and finally closing the sale. By sharing so-called “client testimonials” the prospect will realize its needs and value of the product or service you are offering. By relating to prospects how you were able to help them will give substance to your sales presentation. However, the salesperson must not fall to the trap of exaggerating the stories. Plain and simple narration of current clients’ experiences before and after you helped them will be enough to bring your
message across – the value of your product or service to their company. Building relationships Selling is establishing a relationship that is meant to last. A salesman is not a salesman if he only sold a product or service once. The other objective of selling is to create repeat sales or helping a business, your company and your client’s, grow with what you offer. The salesperson must be wary of overselling. Again, the salesperson must always remember that he or she must fulfill a need by the client and not only selling what you can sell just to make a profit. It is good to send clients brochures, flyers and other information about a product or service but it must not be overdone to the point of sending them materials they might later on be considered “junk mail”. The focus of the salesperson is still the success of the client. Your success is consequential. The most important thing is to establish a good working relationship where the salesperson provides solutions to client’s problems and fill in the gap wherever and whenever there is a need.
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www.bestpracticesconstructionlaw.com
human resource management
At the start of work, supervisors or project managers must make clear to all workers of the specific responsibilities, duties and roles each must play to achieve their goal. Constant reminders must be done to keep each worker abreast with their performance.
Timely resolution of jobsite conflicts preserves productivity Diffusing “hot situations” is a must for project managers
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he construction jobsite is a complex workplace where a hundred or more differing personalities constantly interact and each affects the other one way or another. Just imagine how a project site for a high-rise condominium in the metropolis would look like if viewed from above where there are hundreds of construction workers, engineers, architects, contractors, heavy equipment operators, suppliers and property managers and owners. At a glance, it will look pure chaos, where all are moving about, crossing each other’s path not to mention the noise and the dust that clouds one’s vision. Somehow, amidst the hustle and bustle of men and machines, one may notice a certain order and a plan in all of it for after a month or two, a semblance of the building begins to take shape. Unknowingly, inside that workplace we call the jobsite, there could be conflicts brewing, if not yet happening, among the construction workers themselves or foremen with masons and carpenters. Conflicts,
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differences in opinions or just plain arguments about trivial matters are realities in the construction jobsites. The construction managers, contractors and property owners must accept the fact that conflicts do occur and is quite inevitable especially in such scenario where hundred different people are working together in one project. The important thing to do is to be prepared when conflicts occur and know how to address it or diffuse a “hot situation” from exploding to a point where people get hurt. Steps in resolving conflicts According to Brad Humphrey, in his article entitled “10 Steps Toward Resolving Conflict on the Jobsite” created August 20, 2008, conflicts can be addressed effectively and resolved with proper approaches. Just like an ordinary problem, it must first be assessed and analyzed before appropriate solutions are implemented. First, all those involved and working in the construction site must be aware
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
that conflicts do happen from time to time and accept it as a normal phenomenon. Humphrey stressed that not all conflicts are bad. It could start bad at the start but in the end a better situation may occur. Second, it is implied that supervisors, foremen and construction or project managers must first determine the “root” cause of the conflict if they are to act as mediators. The opposing parties must also be made to agree on the cause of the conflict or the problem area to be able to look for the appropriate solution. Third, co-workers or supervisors present at the time the conflict erupted must first work to keep hot heads cooled down by physically separating opposing parties and allot considerable time to ease tension. Likewise, Humphrey suggested that a little humor, without malice, would surely not aggravate the situation. Fourth, mediators must also bear in mind the “personal baggage” opposing parties may be carrying to further assess the situation and remedies to problems may be
explained effectively. Fifth, before resolving the conflict each opposing party must be made to realize that all of them have one objective and that is to complete the job according to plan. It must be stressed that conflicts are not about personalities but the welfare of the project is the prime concern. Sixth, the supervisor or mediator can employ a collective effort to resolve the conflict. In other words, opinions and suggestions must be encouraged and all possible solutions be discussed based on its merits before settling for a solution. This way, each person is accorded an opportunity to contribute in crafting a solution. Seventh, it must be established at the beginning of the discussion the parameters and variables to consider. Likewise, it must be made known to all what areas are “nonnegotiable”, meaning there are things that have to be done just the way it should be. This may pertain to certain rules, policies or methods that must be adhered to at all cost. Eighth, in conflict resolution between parties of different ranks and positions, the play of egos must be downgraded to a point where one higher ranking party cannot use his or her rank and position to sway the outcome of the talk to his or her favour. The sense of equality must always prevail to avoid one party feeling inferior or superior and maintain clarity in resolution based on merits of arguments and not on rank. Ninth, a follow-up session on a one-onone basis may be appropriate to determine
that conflicts were truly resolved and that the result of compromises has benefitted the company or the project in general. Lastly, in the event that conflicts are resolved, it could be elevated to a higher authority for resolution and decision. It must be made clear by the higher authority through careful explanation that such decision was done for the benefit of the project or the company and not because one is better than the other. The extra steps The construction or project manager can also employ other steps that may help in managing conflicts, even before it happen. At the start of work, supervisors or project managers must make clear to all workers of the specific responsibilities, duties and roles each must play to achieve their goal. Constant reminders must be done to keep each worker abreast with their performance. Creating teams within the workforce may contribute to managing conflicts better with team leaders and members working closely among themselves. With smaller units, the team can easily resolve or prevent conflicts from happening since they will be more at ease with each other. Conducting weekly or periodic staff or workers’ meetings may also prevent and resolve conflicts immediately as problems may be discussed openly during these meetings. Creating a feedback, suggestion or complaints mechanism can also be done to
thresh out possible problem areas of conflict. At the same time it can be a positive way of soliciting ideas and suggestions to improve work. Conflicts must be seen from the positive point of view instead of perceiving it as a hindrance to productivity. When Humphrey said that not all conflicts are bad, an effective project manager can in fact turn this liability into an asset. Source: Brad Humphrey, President of Pinnacle Development Corporation, www. pinnacledg.com 10 Steps Toward resolving Conflict on the Jobsite, www. forconstructionpros.com/article/10117359/construction-resolution-forconstruction-crews, August 20, 2008.
Creating teams within the workforce may contribute to managing conflicts better with team leaders and members working closely among themselves.
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www.siddhivinayakcompany.com
www.awonscientific.tradeindia.com
PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY
Needle Vibrator
The kerb laying machine is a compact extrusion type equipment. It is used to cast continuous kerbs, kerb and channel and other concrete formation used in road construction. This product has electric and hydraulic controls with three operating functions for height, line and cross level. The installed 16 HP petrol engine enables the machine to run smoothly with low vibration.
The needle vibrator is used for vibrocompaction of test cylinders and beams at construction sites and in laboratories. This product ensures better and consistent mixture of concrete. It is also ideal for small construction sites. The product is fitted with a motor on a swivel base that drives a flexible shaft that turns and vibrates at around 10,000 vibrations per minute.
www.docstoc.com
Kerb Laying Machine
A-Plus All Weather Roof & Concrete Paint The A-Plus all weather paint is a 100% premium acrylic waterproofing elastomeric paint that comes with more than 50 colors. It can be applied on interior and exterior concrete surfaces, properly primed metal surfaces, and wood. The product is flexible and elastic making it ideal for patching cracks and crevices. It is lead-free with low odor and weather resistant against the harmful UV rays of the sun. A 4-liter paint can can cover approximately 20-25 square meters.
Makita Lithium-ion Planer
The Mach 1 concrete pipe-making machines are manufactured by Pakona Engineers (India). It is completely automatic and has low cycle time ranging from five to 10 minutes. One of the advantages of using the Mach 1 machines is that it does not require the use of overhead crane thereby lowering investment cost. The production of the machine depends on the size of the concrete pipes. For pipes with diameter ranging from 300mm to 600mm, 60 pipes per 8-hour shift are produced. For pipes with diameter ranging from 700mm to 1200mm, 50 pipes per 8-hours shift are produced.
www.toolsofthetrade.net
www.philippineconstructionmaterials.com
www.colpak.in
Concrete Pipe-making Machine
DJ & Sons Laminated Indigenous Materials DJ & Sons Products and Services has a wide array of laminated designs made from natural indigenous materials. The company laminates various inlaid materials using locally sourced materials like bamboo, coconut shells, coconut twigs, duldul seeds, ipil-ipil seed among others. The laminated materials are used as accent designs for cabinets and wood panels.
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The Makita lithium-ion planer is a cordless power tool that has 3 1/4-inch blade with maximum depth of 5/16 inch. It also has an adjustment knob with built-in detents for easy setting. It has a machined aluminum base, a dual-blade cutter head and a spring-loaded rear stand for extra protection. Total gross weight is 7.5 lbs. It is usually sold with two batteries, charger and a carrying case.
| Philippine Construction&Design  January-February 2013
Josabhi Wood Flooring
www.philippineconstructionmaterials.com
Parquet floor stablished in the philippines on the year 1960’s by the american contractor due to commercially required. Parents of Josabhi started to process a locally made assembled cutting machine and become the first group parquet supplier in the philippines. Narra and other local solid wood in all decade is the no. 1 elegant and durable flooring materials. Josabhi Parquet established on 1995, manage by 2nd Generation kin, it was continue handling the wood flooring business to serve the needs in the philippine industry, workmanship and techniques developed and applied with integrity and long term customers relationship. NARRA wood is the Best and Great flooring material because of great characteristic of the wood, It has a Self termite protection that resist over 300 years life span compare to other commercial flooring. Narra floor rated as no. 1 durable and affordable based on wood classification
of strength, shade and color and termite protection for interior floor. Narra and local wood has a different sizes to choose ranging to 3/8” -2” thickness , 13/4”-12”width and 3”-10ft longer, design based on proportion sizes and pattern.
APO Real Wood Flooring The APO brand also carries engineered wood flooring products like the Apo Real Wood floors made of Toog or Philippine rosewood. It is composed of 7-ply cross grained layers of kiln dried wood that offers greater dimensional stability. It has an 8-coat protection of Aprotech, a combination of UV cured polyurethane with aluminum oxide. The wood panels are easy to install using the tongue and groove construction design.
www.josabhiparquet.webs.com
There are two types of wooden floor; the parquet and the plank. parquet and planks used in residential/commercial, institutional bldg. for a great aesthetic view and durable purposes. As a local commercial wooden floor its generates jobs as well and serving the needs of the country, creating jobs for the diversity of service of the filipino, helping people materially and spiritual way.
APO Galfan Snap Seam This roofing material from Puyat Steel Corporation is easy to install with snap seam features. It is pre-painted and oven baked to withstand the sun and rain. It is 100% water tight
even for steep, low and even flat slope roof requirement. The Galfan Snap seam is made of cold rolled steel with galfan coating that is a mixture of zinc and aluminium certified as ISO 14788. It comes in thickness of 0.4mm, 0.5mm and 0.6mm. The tensile strength is 40,000 psi and the effective width is 388.94mm.
www.ibuildph.com
http://meilleurdesignerproducts.sulit.com.ph
Meilleur Products carry a variety of specially designed panels and decorative products for interior and exterior use. The company manufactures, distributes and imports high-end designer panels, designer mirrors, designer grills, and designer art wall décor. The over 100 designs are treated for waterproofing and prime-coated for easy painting and installation. The products can be used as wall accents in lieu of wall papers, ceiling agent, counter or bar accent, dividers, stage design backdrops and headboard design.
www.homebuildingphilippines.com
Meilleur Designer Panels
C-Joist removable steel form The C-Joist removable steel form (RSF) and roof slab system is a product of Concrete Ventures Group Inc. applicable for structural slab and roof deck use. It is made of pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete in two variants: 75mm thick concrete slab at 900 mm spacing and the 50mm thick slab at 620 mm spacing. The concrete joist supports suspended flooring and form part of a slab system. The product is ideal for projects like residential houses, mass housing, townhouses, malls, condominiums, warehouses and agricultural farm buildings.
January-February 2013
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www.philippineconstructionmaterials.com
Versaflex Board
Onda Products Corporation showcases a wide variety of architectural and decorative wrought iron gates, stair railings, canopies, window grilles, door grills, and fences. Its factory is located in Carmona, Cavite under the name of Onda Iron & Plating Corporation. Other products that the company produces are artificial marble stones and curtains to highlight interior and exterior designs.
PolyTrap The PolyTrap is another innovative waste treatment product from Weida Philippines Inc. The product is a modular solid and grease interceptor designed to trap discarded oil, grease and fat that often clog the drain and kitchen sink. The product is ideal as an anti-pollution device that can even be used as waste water treatment system for rivers and streams.
www.weida.com.ph
Warn PulzAll Lifting Tool
Weida Polysept The Weida Polysept is an innovative product that is used for septic tanks. The unique design of the product is economical to use and is a reliable solution to domestic sewage treatment. The product is distributed by Weida Philippines Inc. with website address at www.weida.com.ph.
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The Versaflex board is a high-grade fiber reinforced building board that does not use wood materials from trees and therefore environment-friendly. It is made of magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate and fibreglass mesh. The product is fire-proof, water – resistant, termite-proof and non-toxic since it does not contain asbestos. Versaflex is also a good insulation with thermal conductivity of less than 0.139 W/mk. This is ideal for internal lining, wall partition, ceiling, floor substrate and external wall lining. Their website is www.versaphil.com.ph.
www.philippineconstructionmaterials.com
Onda Decorative Steel Railings & Grills
www.toolsofthetrade.net
www.philippineconstructionmaterials.com
products and technology
The cordless Warn PulzAll lifting tool is battery-operated with the power to pull and lift heavy items like LVLs and I-beams. It carries a 24-volt device that is controlled by a variable speed trigger. The tool can carry a weight load of 1,000 pounds maximum with a forward and reverse toggle. It is equipped with a 15-feet wire rope and it contains two batteries and comes with a charger.
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
price movements
Construction materials prices in NCR show downtrend in the 4Q More price indices remained sluggish despite increase in construction activity Overall performance of all construction materials prices was pegged at 3.1% in October 2012, a significant 5.1 points decrease from 8.2% in October 2011.
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ith increased economic activity particularly in the construction industry, prices of majority of the basic construction materials posted slower gains toward the fourth quarter of 2012. Overall performance of all construction materials prices was pegged at 3.1% in October 2012, a significant 5.1 points decrease from 8.2% in October 2011. This phenomenon can possibly be attributed to the significant decrease in the prices of fuel and lubricants for the same period. Based on data of the Year-onYear Changes in Percent of Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) from the National Statistics Office (NSO) released November 15, 2012, increase in prices slid by 15 points from 18.6% in October 2011 to only 3.6% in October 2012.
Likewise, the prices of asphalt, the main construction material used in road building projects, surprisingly registered a decline of 21 points from 22.2% in October 2011 to 1.2% for the same period in 2012. If these figures are indicative of what the price movements will be for 2013, then it will help further boost construction activity in the country. However, other factors can affect prices coming from both the international and domestic environment. The important thing to do is to constantly monitor price movements and analyze the whole scenario before implementing plans. Major slowdown Noteworthy of the price slowdown was that of plywood that registered an 8.4 points decline from 11.1% in October 2011 to 2.7% in October 2012.
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price movements
The prices of structural steel have been declining for the past 10 months from January to October 2012. From a high of 9.4% in January 2012 it slowly decreased to 7.2% at the end of the first quarter to 5.0% at the end of the second quarter and then levelled off at 4.5% at the end of the third quarter. Then, it went down by 3.9 points from 8.4% change in October 2011 to 4.56% change in October 2012. Reinforced steel also generated a decline of 4.4 points from a high of 8.4% in October 2011 to a low of 4.0% in October 2012. Sand and gravel also experienced price cutbacks of 4.9 points from 10.2% in October 2011 to 5.3% in October 2012. It also suffered steady decline from 12% at the end of first quarter to 9.0% at the end of second quarter and then 5.2% at the end of the third quarter. Concrete products also experienced a downtrend of 4.2 points from 6.7% in October 2011 to 2.5% in October 2012. Downtrend continues Other construction materials also posted slower movements in terms of wholesale prices in the NCR. Hardware products declined by 3.3 points from 6.1% in October 2011 to 2.8% in October of the following year. Similarly, lumber products prices slid a bit by 2.4 points from 6.8% in October 2011 to 4.4% in October 2012. PVC pipes prices went down also from 2.5% in October 2011 to 2.1% in October 2012. Plumbing fixtures and accessories and waterworks prices also declined from 5.2% in October 2011 to a remarkable 0.8% in October 2012. Finishing materials prices registered a decrease as tileworks prices went down to 2.7% in October 2012 from 6.5% in October 2011. Glass and glass products prices moved back from 1.8% in October 2012 to 0.8% in October 2012. On the other hand, the price change in doors, jambs and steel casement slid to 3.8% in October 2012 from 5.4% in October 2011. The electrical works price indices crashed by 5.8 points from a high of 9.5% in October 2011 to 3.7% in October 2012. Painting works also declined by two points from 5.8% in October 2011 to 3.8% change in October 2012. Machinery and equipment rental were steady with no changes at all for the past 12 months from October 2011 to October 2012.
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Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE INDUSTRY AND TRADE STATISTICS DEPARTMENT Manila CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX (CMWPI) IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) (2000 = 100)
Line No.
2012
COMMODITY GROUP OCT ALL ITEMS
SEP
AUG
JULY
JUNE
2011
MAY
APR
MAR
FEB
JAN
218.9
219.1
218.0
216.7
216.5
218.3
218.9
217.3
215.6
214.4
DEC 214.1
NOV 213.8
OCT 212.3
1
SAND AND GRAVEL
199.1
199.0
199.0
198.6
198.6
198.6
198.2
195.1
192.6
190.5
190.0
190.0
2
CONCRETE PRODUCTS
200.8
200.6
200.4
200.3
200.0
200.0
199.8
197.6
196.4
196.4
195.9
195.9
189.1 195.9
3
CEMENT
182.8
182.6
182.2
179.5
179.3
178.1
178.1
177.4
174.8
175.3
178.1
177.2
177.2
4
HARDWARE
212.2
211.6
211.6
211.6
211.2
211.2
211.2
208.5
207.3
207.0
207.0
206.5
206.5
5
PLYWOOD
179.5
178.6
178.3
178.2
178.1
178.1
177.7
176.6
176.1
177.1
176.2
174.5
174.7
6
LUMBER
226.4
225.7
225.6
225.6
225.1
225.1
222.3
218.7
217.9
218.1
218.2
218.2
216.8
7
G.I. SHEET
177.3
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
175.7
174.1
173.5
173.5
173.5
8
REINFORCING STEEL
248.1
248.0
247.4
246.7
245.7
244.6
243.5
242.1
241.4
240.4
242.6
242.6
238.5
9
STRUCTURAL STEEL
278.0
278.0
278.0
278.0
278.0
278.0
275.6
272.2
270.2
269.4
267.7
267.7
266.1
10 TILEWORKS
174.0
173.3
172.6
172.6
171.9
171.9
171.9
171.9
171.5
171.5
171.5
169.4
169.4
11 GLASS AND GLASS PRODUCTS
179.2
179.2
178.9
178.7
178.4
178.2
177.9
177.7
177.7
177.7
177.7
177.7
177.7
12 DOORS, JAMBS, AND STEEL CASEMENT
197.6
197.6
197.6
197.6
197.6
197.8
197.8
196.3
195.0
194.7
194.7
191.6
190.4
13 ELECTRICAL WORKS
194.4
194.3
194.4
194.4
194.4
193.9
193.0
191.1
189.4
188.6
188.4
187.4
187.4 154.5
14 PLUMBING FIXTURES & ACCESSORIES / WATERWORKS
155.7
155.6
155.8
155.8
155.8
155.6
155.6
155.4
155.2
154.7
154.3
154.3
15 PAINTING WORKS
203.0
202.8
202.8
202.8
202.8
201.6
201.6
201.1
200.2
199.6
198.6
196.5
195.5
16 PVC PIPES
173.1
173.1
173.1
172.8
172.4
172.4
172.4
171.2
170.4
170.2
170.2
170.2
169.5
17 FUELS AND LUBRICANTS
337.8
341.2
331.1
319.6
319.7
341.7
353.0
353.4
345.9
335.6
333.6
334.8
326.0
18 ASPHALT
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
441.3
441.4
441.3
19 MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT RENTAL
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
DEC
NOV
Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE INDUSTRY AND TRADE STATISTICS DEPARTMENT Manila CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX (CMWPI) IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) (2000 = 100)
Line No.
2012
COMMODITY GROUP OCT ALL ITEMS
SEP
AUG
JULY
JUNE
2011
MAY
APR
MAR
FEB
JAN
218.9
219.1
218.0
216.7
216.5
218.3
218.9
217.3
215.6
214.4
214.1
213.8
OCT 212.3
1
SAND AND GRAVEL
199.1
199.0
199.0
198.6
198.6
198.6
198.2
195.1
192.6
190.5
190.0
190.0
2
CONCRETE PRODUCTS
200.8
200.6
200.4
200.3
200.0
200.0
199.8
197.6
196.4
196.4
195.9
195.9
189.1 195.9
3
CEMENT
182.8
182.6
182.2
179.5
179.3
178.1
178.1
177.4
174.8
175.3
178.1
177.2
177.2
4
HARDWARE
212.2
211.6
211.6
211.6
211.2
211.2
211.2
208.5
207.3
207.0
207.0
206.5
206.5
5
PLYWOOD
179.5
178.6
178.3
178.2
178.1
178.1
177.7
176.6
176.1
177.1
176.2
174.5
174.7
6
LUMBER
226.4
225.7
225.6
225.6
225.1
225.1
222.3
218.7
217.9
218.1
218.2
218.2
216.8
7
G.I. SHEET
177.3
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
176.9
175.7
174.1
173.5
173.5
173.5
8
REINFORCING STEEL
248.1
248.0
247.4
246.7
245.7
244.6
243.5
242.1
241.4
240.4
242.6
242.6
238.5
9
STRUCTURAL STEEL
278.0
278.0
278.0
278.0
278.0
278.0
275.6
272.2
270.2
269.4
267.7
267.7
266.1
10 TILEWORKS
174.0
173.3
172.6
172.6
171.9
171.9
171.9
171.9
171.5
171.5
171.5
169.4
169.4
11 GLASS AND GLASS PRODUCTS
179.2
179.2
178.9
178.7
178.4
178.2
177.9
177.7
177.7
177.7
177.7
177.7
177.7
12 DOORS, JAMBS, AND STEEL CASEMENT
197.6
197.6
197.6
197.6
197.6
197.8
197.8
196.3
195.0
194.7
194.7
191.6
190.4
13 ELECTRICAL WORKS
194.4
194.3
194.4
194.4
194.4
193.9
193.0
191.1
189.4
188.6
188.4
187.4
187.4 154.5
14 PLUMBING FIXTURES & ACCESSORIES / WATERWORKS
155.7
155.6
155.8
155.8
155.8
155.6
155.6
155.4
155.2
154.7
154.3
154.3
15 PAINTING WORKS
203.0
202.8
202.8
202.8
202.8
201.6
201.6
201.1
200.2
199.6
198.6
196.5
195.5
16 PVC PIPES
173.1
173.1
173.1
172.8
172.4
172.4
172.4
171.2
170.4
170.2
170.2
170.2
169.5
17 FUELS AND LUBRICANTS
337.8
341.2
331.1
319.6
319.7
341.7
353.0
353.4
345.9
335.6
333.6
334.8
326.0
18 ASPHALT
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
446.7
441.3
441.4
441.3
19 MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT RENTAL
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
114.6
Minor price increase Two items posted increase in price changes despite its earlier roller coaster price movement. Cement registered a higher price change percentage from -6.3% in October 2011 to 3.2% in October 2012.
| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013
The G.I. sheet item also increased in percentage change from 0.8% in October 2011 to 2.2% in October 2012. Source: National Statistics Office. Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index in the National Capital Region (2000=100): October 2012. Reference Number 2012-769 Released Date: Thursday, November 15, 2012.
January-February 2013
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| Philippine Construction&Design January-February 2013