JICA, DPWH hold seminar on technology to protect road slopes from soil erosion
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday held a seminar on the technology used to protect road slopes from weathering and soil erosion.
This comes after many people in Mindanao died due to landslides and floods caused by Severe Tropical Storm ''Paeng''.
During the seminar, Takino Filter Incorporated (Inc.), a Japanese company specializing in green projects, introduced its erosion control mats created to protect the soil from landslides and other weather conditions.
Several Takino Filter Inc. executives gave presentations on the erosion mats, including sales manager Kenji Fuji, sales engineer Shuichi Kodama, and company president Hiroyuki Shuga.
Assistant Public Works Secretary Antonio Molano Jr. said the erosion control mats could be used as a cheaper alternative to rock netting.
“We welcome very much new technology in the Philippines, particularly as I’ve said, for this erosion mat for erosion control. In as much as we need to have the right type of materials for the right situation, because not at all times we can use rock netting,” Molano said in his opening remarks.
“There are applicable areas with critical slopes that we can use these Takino soil filters. So let’s have an open heart and open mind in this orientation and give Takino filters a chance to be part of our DPWH project,” he added.
Assistant Public Works Secretary Constante Llanes said pilot areas for installing erosion control mats are in Cordillera Administrative Region (Region), Banaue-Mayoyao, and Mantolongan, Dalanguete in Cebu.
Bureau of Research and Standards Director Reynaldo Faustino presented the five stages of the product accreditation scheme that Takino Filter Inc. will go through.
Under DPWH Department Order No. 189 series of 2022, the five stages of product accreditation include the evaluation of product characteristics, application and test methods, small-scale pilot trial, issuing of conditional approval for the use of the product, large-scale pilot trial, and issuing a certificate of product accreditation.
The seminar on slope protection is part of the evaluation of the characteristics of the erosion control mat.
In a message by JICA Representative Takema Sakamoto read by Project Formulation Adviser Kikuchi Kosuke, he assured the Philippines of continued support to the infrastructure sector.
“The infrastructure sector is indeed essential in the developing goal of the Philippines. JICA assures you of our continuous support in this vital sector,” Sakamoto said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
