It was discussed in the April 2011 issue about the broader perspective of plumbing and sanitary. To recall: “with the construction start-ups and development, the sanitary/plumbing plans and permit comes into the foreground as a major requirement in the building of a certain project. But due to the almost similar projects that sanitary and plumbing furnishes before the construction of an infrastructure, there had been misconceptions that overshadowed these two trades.”

Taking a look at the diagram and based on RA 1378 (Plumbing Law) and RA 1364 (Sanitary Engineering Law), the work of a master plumber and sanitary engineer does not overlap each other but should follow a work-flow pattern. To simplify, the sanitary engineer is in charge of the potable water distribution system before it enters the building or premises. The master plumber is then in-charge of designing the piping lay-out and installation of plumbing work inside the building including primary septic treatment. From the premises, effluent of the septic tank will go to a secondary treatment plant and this is under the jurisdiction again of the sanitary engineer, including the storm water collected and directed to a nearby water stream.

Although this should be the actual practice, this is not always the case. Most of the time, the sanitary permit and plumbing plans are both signed by the sanitary engineer, unless specified that a master plumber should sign for the plumbing plans. However, the sanitary engineer can sign for both sanitary and plumbing plans if he is a certified sanitary engineer and master plumber at the same time.

As per the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC), the qualifications to be able to take the board of examinations for sanitary engineering are the following:

• Be at least twenty-one years of age
• Be a citizen of the Philippines
• Be of good reputation and moral character, and
• Be a graduate of a four-year course in sanitary engineering or BSCE having taken major subjects in sanitary engineering from a school, institute, college or university recognized by the Government or State wherein it is established

For master plumbers, also as per PRC regulations, the qualifications to be able to take the board examinations are the following:

• At least twenty-one years of age
• Is a citizen of the Philippines
• Is of good moral character
• Is at least a high school graduate
• Has at least five years of experience in actual plumbing work under the supervision of a registered Master Plumber

This is where the situation arises when it comes to the plumbing plans wherein the master plumber is ridiculed at some point. According to some sanitary engineers, a master plumber should not do the preparations and designing of plumbing works since they are only high school graduates and not engineers. Although stated that before becoming master plumbers, they have an actual five-year minimum working experience and part of the board exams is engineering math calculations, it’s still not enough because the plumbing plans should be a designated engineering practice.

In actuality, all the designs and plans that are made by master plumbers follow the International Plumbing Code used in America. The handbook contains all the necessary formulations, tables and diagrams that the master plumber uses to design the piping lay-out of the building. This has been the recognized practice here by all master plumbers. The irony of it is that the sanitary engineer also uses this handbook when they do their own plumbing plans.

There have been several talks to resolve this situation. Earlier recommendations was to limit the plumbing design capability of master plumbers to 20 fixture units. Of course this did not go well with the master plumbers since it’s practically limiting their capability to two-story establishments and no longer applicable to higher infrastructure. There’s also a proposal to put up a plumbing engineering college curriculum to be at par with sanitary engineering. There is also a pending amendment in the Senate and Congress regarding the Plumbing Law and Sanitary Engineering Law which would clearly define the roles and responsibilities for both sanitary engineers and master plumbers regarding the design and preparation of plumbing plans.

To-date, it’s still a waiting game for both sides. Until a final amendment of the two laws has been finalized, there would still be a rift between the master plumbers and sanitary engineers with regards to their job jurisdictions in the construction area. But until then, RA 1378 (Plumbing Law) and RA 1364 (Sanitary Engineering Law) should still be implemented and followed, regardless of education and status.