This paper presents the effects of flooding on the accumulation of manganese (Mn) in soils within proximity of the Boac and Mogpog rivers in Marinduque of The Philippines. Marinduque, an island province in the Philippines, experienced two catastrophic tailings storage facility (TSF) failures in the 1990s that released sulfide-rich tailings into the two major rivers. The Philippines experiences 21–23 typhoons every year, 11 of which pass thru Marinduque that causing inundation of floodplain areas in the province. A flood hazard map developed using LiDAR DEM was utilized for the Boac and Mogpog rivers for an accurate representation of flooding events. A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF) and a Hannah multi-parameter device were used for the on-site analyses of Mn concentration and water physico-chemical properties, respectively. Spatial grid mapping with zonal statistics was employed for a comprehensive analysis of all the data collected and processed. Correlation analysis was carried out on Mn concentrations in soil and surface water, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, temperature, curve number (CN), and flood heights. The curve number indicates the runoff response characteristic of the Mogpog-Boac River basin. The results show that 40% of the total floodplain area of Boac and Mogpog were subjected to high hazards with flood heights above 1.5 m. The Mn content of soils had a statistically significant moderate positive correlation with flood height (r = 0.458) and a moderate negative correlation with pH (r = −0.438). This condition suggested that more extensive flooding promotes Mn contamination of floodplain soils in the two rivers, the source of which includes the mobilization of Mn-bearing silt, sediments, and mine drainage from the abandoned mine pits and TSFs. There is also a strong negative correlation between pH and Mn concentrations in surface water, a relationship attributed to the solubilization of Mn-bearing precipitates based on geochemical modeling results. Using Muller’s geo-accumulation index, 77.5% of the total floodplain of the two rivers was identified as “moderately contaminated” with an average Mn soil content of 3.4% by weight (34,000 mg/kg). The Mn contamination map of floodplain soils in the Mogpog and Boac rivers described in this study could guide relevant regional, national, and local government agencies in planning appropriate intervention, mitigation, remediation, and rehabilitation strategies to limit human exposure to highly contaminated areas.

TAGLINE: Eliminate Waste, Build Quality, Empower Team. Every construction project is characterized by being complex. Over the years, the efficiency and performance of the construction industry in the Philippines have been declining. Plus, the reality is that construction has been one of the largest polluters ever-since it started. This study proposes a plan of action that addresses these situations by introducing the concept of lean construction principles and value management. The purpose of this study is to integrate the sustainability of the construction industry in the Philippines. Sustainability was measured through triple-bottom-line. The paper explores the idea by reviewing different literatures to support theories and statements. It expands to measure the performances of the construction related to firms/companies in the Philippines, through four major categories, namely philosophy, process, people/partner and plant. The results were collected, analyzed and validated through different statistical treatments. For the last part, the researchers came up with a program that consisted of 20-suggested strategies which would help on eliminating waste, building quality and empowering team.

The construction process and construction management are highly reliant on the interaction between the triple constraints of project management of quality: scope, time, and cost. The industry has incorporated certain principles and technology, such as lean-based construction principles and Building Information Modeling (BIM), to maximize the time, quality, and cost-efficiency of various construction projects. Analysis and assessment of the factors and functionalities are needed to show their synergic relationships and determine their significant impact on the construction project using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). To gather information, a survey was conducted on the different construction companies in the Philippines. The results generated a model interrelating the triple constraints of project management and how they are affected by incorporating BIM and lean construction principles. The models created established a significant relationship towards all the tripe constraints considering both individual and combined functionalities and factors. An interdisciplinary framework incorporating both BIM and lean principles is conformed to optimize construction stages based on the triple constraints of project management.

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Since the start of the 2019 pandemic, medical staff and non-medical staff are fighting on the front line in all hospitals worldwide. However, the possibility of healthcare workers' scarcity due to the increasing medical infection rate is ignored in many recent studies. To prevent such things to happen, the installation of a negative air pressure isolation room is proposed to Norzagaray Municipal Hospital (NMH). Primary parameters such as filtration, pressure management, and dilution ventilation were investigated in SOLIDWORKS simulation software by removing one parameter per simulation. Two existing schemes were simulated, and the primary parameters present were evaluated. Three ventilation design set-ups were designed and the effects of the varying placements of the primary parameters to the airflow pattern in a negative air pressure isolation room were determined. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was conducted to determine if the cost of installing the negative air pressure room outweighs its benefit. The set-up where the High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) machine is inside the room is proposed to NMH as this abides by the Department of Health (DOH) memorandum and standards on Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIRs) and is the most effective of the three set-ups. Results show that filtration filters the infectious particles, pressure management manages the proper airflow direction, and dilution ventilation makes sure there are enough air changes per hour to filter a percentage of infectious particles. In the existing schemes, all the primary parameters were used to contain the infectious particles in the room, however, the effectivity of the filtration also depends on the location of the patient, supply, and exhaust. The most significant effect of the varying placements of the primary parameters can be seen in filtration as only the set-up where the HEPA machine is inside the room was able to filter 100% of the infectious particles. It is also the most profitable ventilation design set-up with a 2.08 CBA ratio and has the least payback period of 5.8 months.