PRC/PRB Industry Inspection with PIChE CAMANAVA Chapter
PRB, PRC, and PIChE Camanava visited San Miguel Corporation’s Polo Brewery and Vanson Paper Manufacturing in Valenzuela.
On January 23, 2024, the Professional Regulatory Board (PRB) of Chemical Engineering, led by Honorable Cesar Dela Cruz and Shirleen Chua-Reyes, together with Miss MERLY GAMIN, a PRC representative, visited San Miguel Brewery Incorporated at the Polo Brewery in Valenzuela City. The engineers from PIChE Camanava also joined the visit, including Racquel C. Vera Cruz, PIChE Camanava Treasurer, Ria Caramoan, Director for Sponsorship, Tess Balba, PIChE Camanava Adviser, and Orlando J. Tomol Jr., PIChE Camanava PrO. The primary purpose of the visit was to inspect and monitor the Polo Brewery Plant to ensure compliance with professional and environmental safety standards. During the visit, Ronald Sacdalan briefly shared the history of the San Miguel Corporation, which started in 1898 with Germans as the first brew masters in the Philippines. He mentioned that the company currently has 71 brewing masters on staff, and at the Polo Brewery, there are nine (9) registered chemical engineers working at the plant. The inspection was part of the board’s mandate to promote the welfare and development of the Chemical Engineering profession in the country, as mandated by RA 9297, also known as the Chemical Engineering Law of 2004, and Republic Act No. 8981, also known as the PRC Modernization Act of 2000. The assessment took almost half a day to complete, and the team emphasized the importance of the inspection.
Next, the group proceeded to Vanson’s Paper Manufacturing facility, accompanied by Jose Marlon Corpuz, the plant coordinator, and Juanito Esperanza, the water treatment supervisor. The team discovered that there were no chemical engineers employed in the plant, which is essential in ensuring safety concerns, environmental issues, and operations during production.
The group also discussed the facility’s previous ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate) in 2014 and inspected the plant’s 1.7 hectares of area. The plant has 62 regular employees and 61 casual employees who are involved in the production of paper clipboards for boxes and paper converters. The raw materials used in production are recycled paper from paper and paperboard
suppliers, which come from different parts of the country. During theinspection, the team examined a 50-year-old coal plant that was purchased in 1974 and found coal in one of the buildings used as fuel during production. The visit was crucial in ensuring that facilities comply with professional and
environmental safety standards and that the Chemical Engineering profession continues to promote public welfare and development in the country.
– by: Engr. Racquel C. Vera Cruz, AER
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