ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to the following individuals

who made this work possible. First of all, we would like to acknowledge and express

our warmest gratitude to our thesis adviser Engr. Jose Lorenzo D. Bucton for allowing

us to conduct this research and sharing his invaluable knowledge and expertise with

us. Throughout the process of writing this thesis, he contributed to a wonderful school

experience by giving us intellectual freedom in our work, filling our gaps with the

subject matter at various workshops, engaging us with new ideas, and challenging us

to be excellent in all of our works. We would also like to thank our defense committee

Dr. Israel A. Baguhin, Engr. Edgem Lloyd S. Balabis, Engr. Prances P. Cloribel, and

Dr. Vera Karla S. Caingles for their unwavering patience and feedback during the

discussion we have on research work. It was a great privilege to work and study under

their guidance.

Every outcome mentioned in this thesis was achieved with the assistance and support

of our fellow collaborators. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the

principal of Mohon Elementary School for allowing us to gain access to the institution.

Additionally, we are extremely grateful to Hipolito B. Asumbrado III and Rogelio D.

Dapar – MLA from Allied Material Testing Laboratories for working together with us

and was able to successfully obtain test reports in this project because, without their

professional assistance, this journey would have been undoubtedly impossible. We are

also thankful to the library staff of the research section of the University of Science

and Technology of Southern Philippines for their kindness. We gained a lot of

extremely reliable sources needed to carry out this project. Special thanks to the

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Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Science and Technology of

Southern Philippines. Our progress benefited greatly from the courses we took.

Finally, we would like to recognize our families and friends who supported us during

this process. We would like to take the chance to thank our parents individually for

their unconditional love and endless support in providing what's best for us especially

in our education. Mr. Allan O. Daganato & Mrs. Mary Joy S. Daganato, Mr.

Fortunato S. Bongolto & Mrs. Leoncia B. Bongolto, Mr. Jose Boyet M. Dela Cruz &

Mrs. Loida L. Dela Cruz, Mr. Florencio T. Paglinawan & Mrs. Jocelyn P. Paglinawan,

Mr. Alli N. Patlunag & Mrs. Ana Liza I. Patlunag, Mr. Jess P. Sombreno & Mrs. Aida

P. Sombreno, and Mr. Ramon B. Tuling & Mrs. Loutes E. Tuling. Their emotional

support has kept our spirits and motivation high throughout this journey. Most

importantly, we would like to thank God, the Almighty, who has granted countless

blessings, knowledge, and opportunity to the researchers, so that we were finally able

to finish our thesis.

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