Thursday, 14 July 2011 01:56
Rep. Salvador Escudero III (1st District, Sorsogon), author of House Bill 3051 and Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, said there is a need to repeal Republic Act 1378 or the Act to Regulate the Trade of Master Plumber and enact a new law that is more responsive to the present times. The bill to be known as the Plumbing Engineering Act will regulate the practice of plumbing engineering in the Philippines. The measure will also create a Board of Plumbing Engineering with three members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines.
"It is ironic that while the number of high-rise structures being built is rising, the number of master plumbers needed to cope with the complex needs of plumbing works is dwindling," Escudero said.
"The burgeoning industry coupled with the trend of urbanization, proliferation of urban centers, and the subsequent complexity of architectural and engineering works--these all dramatize the need for plumbing engineers with good academic background in engineering to cope with new technology," Escudero added.
The bill defines plumbing engineering as a profession of gathering physical data for an effective performance in the design and installation of plumbing systems of buildings and other structures.
It embraces services not limited to consultations, design, plan preparations, specifications, estimates, erection, installation and plumbing work supervision including inspection and acceptance of materials used in connection with plumbing.
These include, among other things, storm drainage piping, soil waste and vent piping, hot and cold water supply piping, private sewage disposal and all others related to piping installation in a building.
Under the bill, members of the board of plumbing engineering should be Filipino citizens, at least 40 years old, a plumbing engineer holding a valid Certificate of Registration and a valid Professional License as a Plumbing Engineer with a Bachelor of Science on Plumbing Engineering for not less than 10 years.
The candidates for the board positions must not be a member of the faculty of any school, academy, institution, college of university where a regular course in Plumbing Engineering is being taught, nor has pecuniary interest in or administrative supervision over such institution.
The candidates must not be connected to a review center or any related group in preparation for the licensure examination; and must not have been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude.
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
