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• The National Building Code (P.D. 1096)
• NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
• PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1096
• ADOPTING A NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES THEREBY REVISING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED FORTY ONE
• The country's accelerating economic and physical development, coupled with urbanization and population growth, makes imperative the formulation and adoption of a uniform building code which shall embody up-to-date and modern technical knowledge on building design, construction, use, occupancy and maintenance
• Republic Act. No. 6541, entitled "An Act to Ordain and Institute a National Building Code of the Philippines", does not conform with the developmental goals and infrastructure program of the Government and does not adequately provide for all the technological requirements of buildings and structures, in terms of up-to-date design and construction standards and criteria
• In the formation of new national building code, it is the desire and policy of the Government to avail of and harness the technical expertise and professional know-how of men not only in the public but in the private sectors as well
• Title


  This Decree shall be known as the "National Building Code of the Philippines" and shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Code"
• Declaration of Policy


  It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, consistent with the principles of sound environmental management and control; and to this end, make it the purpose of this Code to provide for all buildings and structures, a framework of minimum standards and requirements to regulate and control their location, site, design, quality of materials, construction, use, occupancy, and maintenance
• Scope and Application


  The provisions of this Code shall apply to the design, location, siting, construction, alteration, repair, conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance, moving, demolition of, and addition to public and private buildings and structures, except traditional indigenous family dwellings as defined herein
• Buildings and/or structures constructed before the approval of this Code shall not be affected thereby except when alterations, additions, conversions or repairs are to be made therein in which case, this Code shall apply only to portions to be altered, added, converted or repaired
• General Building Requirements


  • All buildings or structures as well as accessory facilities thereto shall conform in all respects to the principles of safe construction and must be suited to the purpose for which they are designed
  • Buildings or structures intended to be used for the manufacture and/or production of any kind of article or product shall observe adequate environmental safeguards
  • Buildings or structures and all parts thereof as well as all facilities found therein shall be maintained in safe, sanitary and good working condition
• Site Requirements


  The land or site upon which will be constructed any building or structure, or any ancillary or auxillary facility thereto, shall be sanitary, hygienic or safe. In the case of sites or buildings intended for use as human habitation or abode, the same shall be at a safe distance, as determined by competent authorities, from streams or bodies of water and/or sources of air considered to be polluted; from a volcano or volcanic site and/or any other building considered to be a potential source of fire or explosion
• Definitions


  As used in this Code, the words, terms and phrases enumerated in Annex "A" hereof shall have the meaning or definition, correspondingly provided therein
• Responsibility for Administration and Enforcement

  The administration and enforcement of the provisions of this Code including the imposition of penalties for administrative violations thereof is hereby vested in the Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary"
• Technical Staff


  The Secretary is hereby authorized to constitute and provide in his Department a professional staff composed of highly qualified architects, engineers and technicians who possess diversified and professional experience in the field of building design and construction
• General Powers and Functions of the Secretary under this Code

  • Formulate policies, plans, standards and guidelines on building design, construction, use, occupancy and maintenance, in accordance with this Code
  • Issue and promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Code and ensure compliance with policies, plans, standards and guidelines formulated under paragraph 1 of this Section
  • Evaluate, review, approve and/or take final action on changes and/or amendments to existing Referral Codes as well as on the incorporation of other referral codes which are not yet expressly made part of this Code
  • Prescribe and fix the amount of fees and other charges that the Building Official shall collect in connection with the performance of regulatory functions
• Professional and Technical Assistance


  The Secretary with the assistance of his technical staff shall provide such professional, technical, scientific and other services including testing laboratories and facilities as may be required to carry out the provisions of this Code; Provided that the Secretary may secure such services as he may deem necessary from other agencies of the National Government and may make arrangement for the compensation of such services. He may also engage and compensate within appropriations available therefore, the services of such number of consultants, experts and advisers on full or part time basis, as may be necessary, coming from the government or private businesses, entities or associations to carry out the provisions of this Code
• Building Officials


  • Except as otherwise provided herein, the Building Official shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this Code in the field as well as the enforcement of orders and decisions made pursuant thereto
  • Due to the exigencies of the service, the Secretary may designate incumbent Public Works District Engineers, City Engineers and Municipal Engineers to act as Building Officials in their respective areas of jurisdiction
  • The designation made by the Secretary under this Section shall continue until regular positions of Building Official are provided or unless sooner terminated for causes provided by law or decree
• Qualifications of Building Officials

  • A Filipino citizen and of good moral character
  • A duly registered architect or civil engineer
  • A member of good standing of a duly accredited organization of his profession for not less than two years
  • Has at least five years of diversified and professional experience in building design and construction
• Duties of a Building Official

  • In his respective territorial jurisdiction, the Building Official shall be primarily responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this Code as well as of the implementing rules and regulations issued therefor. He is the official charged with the duties of issuing building permits
  • In the performance of his duties, a Building Official may enter any building or its premises at all reasonable times to inspect and determine compliance with the requirements of this Code, and the terms and conditions provided for in the building permit as issued
  • When any building work is found to be contrary to the provisions of this Code, the Building Official may order the work stopped and prescribe the terms and/or conditions when the work will be allowed to resume. Likewise, the Building Official is authorized to order the discontinuance of the occupancy or use of any building or structure or portion thereof found to be occupied or used contrary to the provisions of this Code
• Fees


  • Every Building Official shall keep a permanent record and accurate account of all fees and other charges fixed and authorized by the Secretary to be collected and received under this Code
  • Subject to existing budgetary, accounting and auditing rules and regulations, the Building Official is hereby authorized to retain not more than twenty percent of his collection for the operating expenses of his office
  • The remaining eighty percent shall be deposited with the city or municipal treasurer and shall accrue to the General Fund of the province, city or municipality concerned
• Exemption


  • Public buildings and traditional indigenous family dwellings shall be exempt from payment of building permit fees
  • As used in this Code, the term "traditional indigenous family dwelling" means a dwelling intended for the use and occupancy by the family of the owner only and constructed of native materials such as bamboo, nipa, logs, or lumber, the total cost of which does not exceed fifteen thousand pesos
• Use of Income from Fees

  • Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the Secretary is hereby authorized to prescribe the procedures for the use of all net income realized by the office of the Building Official from the collection of fees and charges not exceeding twenty percent thereof in accordance with Section 208
  • Such income may be used to cover necessary operating expenses including the purchase of equipment, supplies and materials, traveling expenses, obligation expenses and sheriff's fees and payment of other prior years' obligations not adequately funded, subject to existing budgetary and auditing rules and regulations
• Implementing Rules and Regulations


  In the implementation of the provisions of this Code, the Secretary shall formulate necessary rules and regulations and adopt design and construction standards and criteria for buildings and other structures. Such standards, rules and regulations shall take effect after their publication once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation
• Administrative Fines


  For the violation of any of the provisions of this Code or any of the rules or regulations issued thereunder, the Secretary is hereby empowered to prescribe and impose fines not exceeding ten thousand pesos
• Penal Provisions


  • It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, equip, use, occupy, or maintain any building or structure or cause the same to be done contrary to or in violation of any provision of this Code
  • Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any of the provisions of this Code and/or commit any act hereby declared to be unlawful shall upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty thousand pesos or by imprisonment of not more than two years or by both such fine and imprisonment: Provided, that in the case of a corporation firm, partnership or association, the penalty shall be imposed upon its officials responsible for such violation and in case the guilty party is an alien, he shall immediately be deported after payment of the fine and/or service of his sentence
• Dangerous and Ruinous Buildings or Structures

  Dangerous buildings are those which are herein declared as such or are structurally unsafe or not provided with safe egress, or which constitute a fire hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to human life, or which in relation to existing use, constitute a hazard to safety or health or public welfare because of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, or abandonment; or which otherwise contribute to the pollution of the site or the community to an intolerable degree
• Abatement of Dangerous Buildings


  When any building or structure is found or declared to be dangerous or ruinous, the Building Official shall order its repair, vacation or demolition depending upon the degree of danger to life, health, or safety. This is without prejudice to further action that may be taken under the provisions of Articles 482 and 694 to 707 of the Civil Code of the Philippines
• The rights, actions and remedies provided in this Code shall be in addition to any and all other rights of action and remedies that may be available under existing laws
• Building Permits


  No person, firm or corporation, including any agency or instrumentality of the government shall erect, construct, alter, repair, move, convert or demolish any building or structure or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a building permit therefor from the Building Official assigned in the place where the subject building is located or the building work is to be done
• Application for Permits


  • In order to obtain a building permit, the applicant shall file an application therefor in writing and on the prescribed form from the Office of the Building Official. Every application shall provide at least the following information: A description of the work to be covered by the permit applied for; Certified true copy of the TCT covering the lot on which the proposed work is to be done. If the applicant is not the registered owner, in addition to the TCT, a copy of the contract of lease shall be submitted; The use or occupancy for which the proposal work is intended; Estimated cost of the proposed work
  • To be submitted together with such application are at least five sets of corresponding plans and specifications prepared, signed and sealed by a duly registered mechanical engineer in case of mechanical plans, and by a registered electrical engineer in case of electrical plans, except in those cases exempted or not required by the Building Official under this Code
• Processing of Building Permits

  The processing of building permits shall be under the overall administrative control and supervision of the Building Official and his technical staff of qualified professionals. In processing an application for a building permit, the Building Official shall see to it that the applicant satisfies and conforms with approved standard requirements on zoning and land use, lines and grades, structural design, sanitary and sewerage, environmental health, electrical and mechanical safety as well as with other rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with the provisions of this Code
• Issuance of Building Permits

  • When satisfied that the work described in an application for building permit and the plans and specifications submitted therewith, conform to the requirements of this Code and other pertinent rules and regulations, the Building Official shall, within fifteen days from payment of the required fees by the applicant, issue the building permit applied for
  • The Building Official may issue a permit for the construction of only a part or portion of a building or structure before the entire plans and specifications for the whole building or structure have been submitted and approved
• Building permit application processing

  Building Official checks that applicant satisfies and conforms with approved standard requirements on zoning and land use, lines and grades, structural design, sanitary and sewerage, environmental health, electrical and mechanical safety as well as with other rules and regulations
• Issuance of building permit

  1. Building Official issues permit within 15 days from payment of required fees if work described in application and plans/specifications conform to Code and other regulations

  2. Building Official may issue permit for only part of building/structure if plans/specs don't cover entire building/structure

  3. Approved plans/specs cannot be changed without Building Official's approval, work must be done strictly in accordance with them
• Validity of building permit

  • Issuance of permit does not approve or authorise permittee to disregard/violate Code provisions
  • Building Official can require corrections to defective plans/specs or prevent/order stoppage of violations
  • Permit expires and becomes void if work not commenced within 1 year or suspended/abandoned for 120 days
• Non-issuance, suspension or revocation of building permits

  1. Building Official may order for errors in plans/specs, incorrect/inaccurate data, non-compliance with Code

  2. Notice of non-issuance/suspension/revocation always in writing stating reasons
• Appeal of non-issuance, suspension or revocation of permits

  Applicant/permittee can file appeal with Secretary within 15 days, Secretary decides within 15 days, decision is final subject to review by Office of the President
• Inspection and supervision of construction work

  1. Owner must engage licensed architect/civil engineer for full-time inspection and supervision

  2. Designing architect/engineer can also conduct inspections to check compliance with plans/specs

  3. Logbook of progress, tests, weather etc. kept at jobsite, submitted to Building Official upon completion

  4. Architect/engineer submits Certificate of Completion stating building conforms to Code and approved plans/specs