WHEREAS, the Ministry of Public Highways has employed foreign Consultants to study its present organization for the purpose of improving the same to make it more efficient and effective as an implementing agency for the construction of highway projects, particularly those financed with foreign assistance;

WHEREAS, the Consultants, after a thorough study of the present organizational set up of the Ministry of Public Highways, including the functions of the different Bureaus and Offices under it, have submitted their findings and recommendations;

WHEREAS, the Consultants believe that the efficiency of the Ministry of Public Highways for contract supervision and management, design and construction of projects, and maintenance of all existing roads and bridges could be very much improved if the present Bureau of Construction and Maintenance should be divided into two separate bureaus - the Bureau of Construction and the Bureau of Maintenance;

WHEREAS, the reorganization recommended by the Consultants is in line with the policy of the Administration to effect continuing reorganizations of the different agencies of the government to improve their efficiency and capabilities in order to provide a better public service;

NOW, THEREFORE, for the improvement of the service and to ensure better and more efficient administration, management and prosecution of infrastructure projects financed with foreign loans, as well as with local funds, the present Bureau of Construction and Maintenance of the Ministry of Public Highways is hereby reorganized by splitting the said Bureau into two bureaus, to wit: the Bureau of Construction and the Bureau of Maintenance.

The Bureau of Construction as reorganized and the newly created Bureau of Maintenance shall have the following functions and shall be composed of the following organization units and offices as hereunder provided:

(1) BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION

The Bureau of Construction shall essentially be a staff bureau of the Ministry of Public Highways and shall have the authority and responsibility to develop and recommend standards, policies, procedures, guidelines, systems, and programs pertaining to the construction of road and bridge projects included in the approved developmental plans and implemented by consultants, contractors and regional offices. The Bureau ™s functions shall be:

(a) road and bridge design and construction, and (b) coordination and liaison with foreign funding organizations.

The Bureau shall be headed by a Director to be assisted by the Chiefs of Special Projects Offices who shall have the rank of Assistant Directors the appointments of which shall be co-terminus with the projects they are engaged in and the Chief of the Contract Management Office who will likewise hold the rank of Assistant Director.

The Bureau of Construction shall be composed of the following:

Project Offices

The IBRD, ADB, OPCF and PADAP Project Offices and other project implementing offices shall perform essentially the same work but for different foreign loan agencies. Primary functions of these offices are:

(a) to assist in the orderly transition of foreign projects into the regular work processes under regular lines of authority and responsibility of the Ministry;

(b) to act as liaisons between funding agencies and the Ministry;

(c) to identify special requirements of funding agencies, develop and recommend systems and procedures to meet those requirements;

(d) to identify, evaluate and recommend potential sources of funds;

(e) to recommend terms, conditions and programs best suited to the needs of the Ministry, and

(f) monitor progress of project works for concerned lending agencies.

Construction Management Office

The head of the Construction Management Office shall be responsible for developing and guiding the Regions in implementing effective engineering and management systems covering road and bridge design, and construction supervision, inspection and administration.

Preconstruction Design Division

This Division shall be responsible for:

(a) developing, recommending and effectively communicating road and bridge design standards, manuals, engineering systems and procedures;

(b) assisting in developing regional design capabilities and programs and providing technical guidance;

(c) developing, assisting in implementing, monitoring and improving preconstruction management systems, and

(d) assisting in identifying complex design projects that should be completed by consultants, developing rosters of qualified firms, developing tenders, evaluating proposals, recommending contract towards and coordinating with regional offices.

Engineering Systems and Evaluation Division

This Division shall be responsible for:

(a) developing, recommending and effectively communicating construction supervision and inspection standards, manuals, engineering systems including documentation requirements and procedures;

(b) assisting in developing regional supervision and inspection capabilities and programs, and providing technical guideline;

(c) developing, assisting in implementing, monitoring and improving construction management systems, and

(d) assisting regions in identifying construction supervision projects that should be undertaken by consultants, developing rosters of qualified firms, developing tenders, evaluating proposals, recommending awards and coordinating with regional offices.

Contract Administration Division

This Division shall be responsible for:

(a) developing contractor prequalification criteria, maintaining and updating rosters, compiling contract plans and special provisions, advertising letterings, receiving and evaluating proposals and recommending contract awards;

(b) developing and guiding regions in implementing contract administration criteria including documentation and pay requirements; and

(c) developing and guiding implementation contract management systems and procedures.

General Administration Division

The General Administration Division has responsibility for internal personnel, fiscal, and clerical functions of the Bureau.

(2) BUREAU OF MAINTENANCE

The Bureau of Maintenance shall essentially be a staff bureau and shall have the authority and responsibility to develop and recommend standards, policies, procedures, guidelines, systems and programs. Approved developments are implemented by regional offices. The Bureau shall have the following functions: Planning and Programming, Inspectorate and Administration.

The Bureau shall be headed by a Director to be assisted by an Assistant Director and shall have under it the following divisions:

PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING DIVISION

This Division shall be responsible for:

(a) developing and improving performance standards;

(b) developing, implementing and improving maintenance management systems including techniques for work programming, budgeting, and starting;

(c) developing and implementing effective work scheduling and control systems needed to ensure compliance with approved programs and budgets

(d) developing management information systems meeting the unique needs of each level of management;

(e) monitoring to improve standards and systems, and to identify units not operating in accordance with approved standards and systems, and

(f) providing guidance and assistance to regions.

Inspectorate Division

The Maintenance Inspectorate Division shall conduct on-site reviews of levels of service provided, work methods and techniques used, and compliance with approved programs. It shall prepare improvement action reports for use by regional and Bureau of Maintenance officials.

Administration Division

The Administration Division has responsibility for internal personnel, fiscal and clerical functions of the Bureau.

APPOINTMENT OF OFFICIALS

The Directors and the Assistant Directors of the Bureau of Construction and the Bureau of Maintenance shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Minister of Public Highways, while Chiefs of Divisions of said Bureaus shall be appointed by the Minister of Public Highways in accordance with Civil Service Law, rules and regulations.

This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 9th day of January in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-nine.


By the President:

(SGD.) JUAN C. TUVERA
Presidential Assistant