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Rule III: Specific Requirements for Building and

Related Structures for Public Use
1. Classification of Building by Use of Occupancy:
CATEGORY I Residential Comprise Groups A and B
buildings

CATEGORY II Commercial & Industrial Comprise partly Groups B,

C, E, F, G, H, and I buildings

CATEGORY III Educational & Industrial Comprise partly Groups C,

D, E, and H buildings

CATEGORY IV Agricultural Comprise partly Group J

buildings
CATEGORY Y Ancillary

2. Architectural Features and Facilities:

Architectural design requirements in accordance with the general standards for architectural
practice are as follows:

A. Stairs I. Switches, Controls, Buzzers

B. Walkways J. Handrails
C. Corridors K. Floor Finishes
D. Doors and Entrances L. Drinking Fountains
E. Washrooms and Toilets M. Thresholds
F. Lifts and Elevators N. Public Telephones
G. Ramps O. Seating Accommodation
H. Parking Areas

3. Category I
Only government-owned structures are subject to the following requirements:
 Group A – includes duplexes, school or company housing units, and single detached.
 Group B – includes multiple dwelling units or high-rise residential condominiums or
tenement houses.

4. Category II
The guidelines listed below apply to both government and privately owned structures. This
includes:
 Group B
 Accessories, tenement or row houses, apartments, or townhouses.
 Hotels, motels, inns, pension houses, or apartels.
 Private or “off-campus” dormitories.
 Group C
 Amusement halls, parlor
 Massage and sauna parlors.
 Group E-1
 Train Stations and terminals
 Bus depots and terminals
 Transportation Office
 Airport terminal buildings and heliports
 Ports and harbor facilities, landing piers, sheds, ferry landing stations
 Group E-2
 General wholesale and retail stores

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  Shopping centers, supermarkets, and public markets
 Restaurants, dining, and drinking establishments
 Office buildings
 Financial institutions
 Funeral parlors, morgues, and crematories
 Memorial and Mortuary Chapels
 Group H-1, H-4 and Group I
 Theaters, Auditoriums, and Convention Halls
 Concert hall and Opera house
 Colisea, Sports Complexes, and Stadiums
 Group F
 Dairies and Creameries
 Factories and Workshops
 Breweries, Canneries, and Tanneries
 Group G-3
 Woodworking establishments, lumber, and timber yards
 Pulp, paper, and paper board factories
 Textile and fiber spinning mills
 Garment and undergarment factories

5. Category III
 Group C
 Educational institutions
 Libraries, museums, exhibition halls, and art galleries
 Civil centers
 Clubhouses and lodges
 Community Centers
 Group D-1
 Mental Hospitals, mental sanitaria, mental asylums
 Jails, prisons, reformatories, correctional institutions
 Rehabilitation Centers
 Leprosaria
 Group D-2
 Home for the Aged
 Hospitals and Sanitaria
 Group D-3
 Nursing homes for ambulatory patients
 orphanages
 Group E-7
 Police and fire stations
 Group H
 Churches, temples, chapels, and similar worship places

6. Category IV
 Group J-1
 Agricultural buildings

7. Standard of Accessibility for Special Types of Facilities

Seating Capacity Wheelchair Seating Space

4 – 50 2

51 – 300 4

301 – 500 6

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Auditoriums, assembly halls, theaters, and related facilities shall implement the following:
 Accessible seating for those with disabilities from the main lobby, which is the main
entrance, including related restroom facilities.
 Spaces for those with disabilities in all assembly places.
 An additional wheelchair seating space shall be provided for those that exceed 500.
 Removable seats may be provided when the wheelchair is not allowed.

8. Computation of Accessible Units

A seating capacity decimal greater than 0.5 must be considered as one unit in the calculations
for allocations of accessible units.

9. Application of Barrier-Free Facilities and Features

 Graphic signs must be in bold and installed at every access point to connecting destinations.
 Walkways must be provided with enough passageways.
 Width of corridors and circulation system must be provided.
 Doors and entrances must be accessible and designed to open easily.
 Toilets must be accessible and provide enough turning space.
 Elevators must meet the requirements if required.
 Ramps must be available for access to level changes heading to lobbies, entrances, and
exits that may be affected by the environment or use of the space.
 Ramps must have handrails on both sides.
 Parking areas must have enough space for disabled persons.
 Height above the floor, switches, and controls must be in accordance with the provisions.
 Floors for wheelchairs must use nonskid material.
 Water fountains must be installed as required.

APPENDIX A - Minimum Requirements for

Accessibility
A. Outside and Around Buildings
1. DROPPED CURBS
 Dropped curb shall be placed when there is a shift in the level of pathways.
 A dropped curb must:
a. Be provided at the end of walkways or pedestrian crossings.
b. Crossings must have the same width as the curbs; else, they shall have
a 0.90m minimum width.
c. It shall be ramped to adjoining curbs with a gradient of not more than 1:12.
d. Lowest point should not exceed 25 mm from the gutter or road.

Figure 14.1. Dropped Curbs

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2. CURB CUT-OUTS
 Only allowed when it is not blocking or lessening the width of the walkway.
 Curb cut-out shall have a minimum width of 0.90m.
 Have a gradient of not more than 1:12.

Figure 14.2. Curb Cut-Outs

3. WALKWAYS AND PASSAGEWAYS

 Be kept level and provided with slip-resistant material.
 It should not have a gradient of any more than 1:20 or 5%.
 Have a maximum cross gradient of 1:100.
 Have a minimum width of 1.20 meters.
 No gratings should be located along walkways, if feasible. Otherwise, the maximum
dimension must be 13mm x 13mm and not more than 6.5mm.
 Must have a continuous surface not having sudden pitches by cracks or breaks
generating edges above 6.50mm.
 A route for wheelchairs should be provided to lengthy or busy walkways with a
minimum dimension of 1.50m and a maximum distance of 12:00m between stops.
 Must follow straightforward routes with right-angle turns for blinds.
 Regular maintenance should be done, ensuring no overhanging branches or
shrubs that can danger pedestrians.
 Headroom should not be less than 2.0m and preferably higher.
 No obstruction signs or any hazardous materials should be in the passageways.

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 Figure 14.3. Walkways and Passageways

4. HANDRAILS
 Be installed at each side of ramps and stairs and at the outer edges of dropped
curbs for smooth pedestrian flow.
 Must be installed 0.90m and 0.70m above steps or ramps. And can be 1.0m to
1.06m for higher heights protection.
 Start and end of ramps and stairs should have a 0.30m long extension of the
handrail.
 Full grasp of the handrail should have a dimension of 30mm to 50mm.
 Distance between handrails to walls should be no less than 50mm. And handrails
on ledges have a minimum clearance of 40mm.

Figure 14.4. Handrails

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5. OPEN SPACES
 Should provide defined edges on walkways such as planters with dwarf walls, a
grass verge, or similar for the blinds, providing texture different from the path.

Figure 14.5. Open Spaces

6. SIGNAGES
 Directional and informational signs should be positioned at points conveniently
seen by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
 Signs must be kept simple and understandable for easier detection and reading.
 Usage of the international symbol for designating accessible routes and facilities.
 Minimum headroom of 2.0 meters, if the sign protrudes into walkways.
 Wall and door signs should be located at a 1.60-meter maximum height and 1.40-
meter minimum height.
 Signage should have raised symbols, letters, or numbers, with a minimum height
of 1mm. Moreover, in signifying public and safety routes, braille symbols can be
used.

Figure 14.6. Signages

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 7. CROSSINGS
 Minimizing vehicular traffic, all grade crossings should be:
a. Close perpendicularly to the carriageway.
b. Situated at the narrowest and most convenient part of the carriageway.
c. Central refugees of at least 1.5m in depth and 2m preferred, which will
serve as a mid-crossing shelter, where the carriageway width to go across
exceeds 10m.
d. All pedestrian crossings should be positioned or near to, if not on the
normal pedestrian design line.
e. Tactile blocks or surfaces should be provided as an aid to blinds. It must
be appropriately high to be sensed by the sole but not cause injury or
danger to pedestrians.
f. Anywhere possible, pedestrian phases and synchronized audible signals
should be provided in preference to other types of crossings.
 The Traffic Engineering Center will be in charge to develop easily distinguishable
sounds to avoid confusion for the blind.
 Walking speed of the disabled should be considered. Hence, a steady green period
for pedestrians should not be less than 6 seconds or 0.90 m/sec crossing distance.

Figure 14.7. Crossings

B. Parking
1. PARKING AREAS
 Enough space for a wheel-chaired person to easily transfer from a vehicle.
 Must be positioned in high accessibility areas or entrances.
 Be perpendicular or to an angle to the road or circulation aisles.
 A minimum width of 3.70m.
 Walkway from accessible spaces of 1.20m clear width.
 Have dropped curbs or curb cut-outs where access walkways are raised.
 For the handicapped, there should be pavement markings, signs, or others.
 Parking spots for the disabled must not be positioned at ramped or sloping zones.

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 Figure 14.8. Parking Area

C. Inside Buildings and Structures

1. ENTRANCE
 Accessibility to the interior lobby from the arrival and departure points.
 Elevators should be given one (1) entrance level.
 Ramps must be provided in case entrances that are not leveled on the site arrival
grade.
 A level area of at least 1.80m depth and 1.50m width must be provided for
entrances with vestibules.
2. RAMPS
 Shall be required if no dropped curb, elevator, or other mechanical devices.
 Have a minimum clear width of 1.20m.
 The maximum gradient shall be 1:12.
 Length should not go beyond 6:00 meters.
 Should be provided at the top and bottom of any ramp if the level area is not less
than 1.80m.
 Hand railings should be installed on each side at 0.70m and 0.90m from the ramp
level.
 Curbs with a minimum height of 0.10m must be installed on both sides of the ramp.
 A railing across the ramp’s lower end, not less than 1.80 meters from the foot of
the ramp is necessary for any ramp with a rise greater than 0.20m.

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 Figure 14.9. Entrance and Ramps

3. DOORS
 A minimum clear width of 0.80m for all doors.
 Clear openings must be measured between the surface of a fully open door at the
hinge and the door jamb at the stop.
 Applying pressure or force of not more than 4.0kg, doors should be able to open.
 The minimum clear level space of 1.50m x 1.50m before and beyond a door must
be provided.
 Doors that swing in corridors should be protected. Moreover, storage rooms,
closets, and accessible restroom stalls should install out-swinging doors.
 No wrist action or fine finger manipulation in latching and non-latching hardware.
 Doorknobs and other hardware should be placed between 0.82m and 1.06m
above the floor, but 0.90 is preferred.
 For swing doors or doors with locking devices, vertical pull handles placed at
1.06m above the flooring are preferred to horizontal pull bars.
 Must be provided along major circulation routes having kick plates made of sturdy
supplies at a height of 0.30m to 0.40m.

4. THRESHOLDS
 The thresholds and sliding door tracks should have a maximum height of 25 mm
and a ramp.

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 Figure 14.10. Doors and Thresholds

5. SWITCHES
 Manual switches should be placed within 1.20m to 1.30m above flooring, and be
located not more than 0.20 meters from the latch side of the door.

Figure 14.11. Switches

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6. SIGNAGES
(Kindly see “SIGNAGES”, under OUTSIDE AND AROUND BUILDINGS)

7. CORRIDORS
 A minimum clear width of 1.20m is needed in corridors.
 Recesses and turnabout spaces must be provided. It must have a minimum area
of 1.50m x 1.50m and be spaced at no greater than 12.00m.
 Every dead end, there must be turnabouts.
 It shall be maintained level and be slip resistant.

Figure 14.12. Corridors

8. WASHROOMS AND TOILETS

 Wheelchairs should conveniently pass through and close the stall for accessible
public washrooms and toilets.
 The minimum area for accessible water closet stalls shall be 1.70m x 1.80m.
a. Lateral Mounting – one movable and one fixed grab bar to the adjacent
wall.
b. Frontal Mounting – fixed grab bars on both sides of the wall.
 Water closet stalls for lateral mounting should have a turning space of 2.25 sq. m.
with a minimum dimension of 1.50m. for wheelchairs.
 All accessible public toilets must provide accessories mounted at reachable
heights by a person in a wheelchair.
 For each floor level, shall have one set of a water closet. And the per set is equal
to 20 water closets.
 For visually impaired persons, signage should be an equilateral triangle with the
vertex pointing upward for men and a circle for women with a diameter of 0.30m.
These signs have to be 7.5mm thick.
 0.45m must be the maximum height of water closets and 1.20 meters for the flush
control.
 Lavatories must have a maximum height of 0.80m with knee recess of 0.60m -
0.70m vertical clearance and 0.50 depth.
 For urinals, elongated lip or through type should be installed with a maximum height
of lip equal to 0.48m.

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 Figure 14.13. Washrooms and Toilets

9. STAIRS
 To minimize slipping, tread surfaces should be a slip-resistant material and nosings
should be equipped with slip-resistant strips.
 Slanted nosings should be utilized rather than projected ones to avoid difficulty for
people with crutches or braces. Also, avoid using open stringers.
 Runners and risers should be marked with paint or non-skid material that contrasts
with the rest of the stairs to aid visually impaired persons.
 Installing tactile strips 0.30m wide shall be posted or mounted near to unsafe
places.

Figure 14.14. Stairs

10. ELEVATORS
 It should be located 30.00m away from the entrance with location signs.
 It must have a minimum dimension of 1.10m x1.40m.

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  Control panels and the emergency system should be within the reach of a seated
person; between 0.90m to 1.20m from the floor has to be the centerline heights
for the topmost buttons.
 To indicate floor levels, braille-type signs should be placed at door frames or
elevator doors to aid blind persons.
 The minimum diameter for button sizes at elevator control panels has to be
20mm and 1mm maximum depression depth.

Figure 14.15. Elevators

D. Safety
1. FENCING FOR ROADWORKS AND FOOTWORKS
 All excavations should be protected whether on road or footway.
 Top of the rail should be at least 1.00m high above the adjacent surface. It should have
a tapping rail not greater than 0.35m to aid blinds.
 It should offer sufficient resistance and no gaps between adjoining fence lengths.

Figure 14.16. Fencing for Roadwork and Footwork

2. COVERS FOR EXCAVATIONS

 Walkways, where there are excavations, should temporarily be covered with
constructed and supported boards.
 If the footway is reduced to less than 1.20m, coverings should extend across the
entire footway.

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  The effective width of footways past any obstruction should be greater than or equal
to 1.20m. Further to that, loose materials on footways have to be properly enclosed
and prevented from encroaching onto the main footway by a kickboard with at least
0.20m.

Figure 14.17. Covers for Excavation

3. SIGNAGE FOR ROADWORKS ON THE CARRIAGEWAY

 Be located on verges or similar areas and should not reduce footway width to less than
1.20m which can cause inconvenience to both pedestrians and the disabled.
4. LOCATION OF EMERGENCY EXIT
 Tablets either wall-mounted or free-standing with an embossed plan configuration
should be situated in front of buildings or in the main lobby and should be readable.
 In accordance with the provisions for emergency lighting under Section 3.410 of P.D
NO. 1185 (The Fire Code of the Philippines), there should be flashing light directional
signage at every change in the direction having enough power.

5. AUDIBLE AND VISIBLE ALARM SYSTEM

 All fire sections, as defined by the P.D NO. 1185 (The Fire Code of the Philippines),
should have audio-visual alarm systems.
 As established by Section 701, of Chapter 7 of P.D NO. 1096 (The National Building
Code of the Philippines), it is necessary to install “VIBRA-ALARMS '' for all occupants
who are deaf or hearing-impaired.

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