Labor - Intensive Methods.
Section 6
SECTION 6. Labor - Intensive Methods. - Whenever technically practicable and economically feasible, labor-intensive methods may be used in the prosecution of public works projects or portions thereof authorized in this Decree and other Public Works measures; Provided, That the structural integrity of the project is not impaired and its financial cost does not increase by more than ten (10%) per centum over that involved in alternative normal equipment-intensive construction technique as defined by the agency concerned: Provided, Further, That the employment of workers for the labor-intensive operations will not unduly impair the labor requirements for agricultural production. Before any such project is prosecuted, the agency concerned shall prepare at least two alternative methods of construction based on the same plans and structural standards, one being labor-intensive, together with a comparative evaluation of projected financial and economic costs, employment generation, and technical quality; such comparison shall be the basis for selecting the most advantageous construction technique to be employed in terms of the criteria in the preceding sentence. The selected construction technique shall be made part and the basis of the program of work which shall be subject to approval by the officials concerned in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of this Decree. The purchase of hand tools and other work implements for undertaking public works projects by labor-intensive technique is authorized to be charged against the project funds not to exceed five (5%) per centum of the estimated project cost; Provided, That the agencies concerned shall undertake a continuing inventory of such hand tools and other work implements and make full economic use thereof in different projects. The agencies concerned shall refer to the relevant studies of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications and the International Labor Organization for the identification of project work items or activities suitable for labor-intensive methods of construction.