Building System Design

What is the difference between Presidential Decree (PD) and Republic Act (RA)?

Presidential Decrees were an innovation made by President Ferdinand E. Marcos with the
proclamation of Martial Law. They served to arrogate unto the Chief Executive the lawmaking
powers of Congress. Only President Marcos issued Presidential Decrees. In the Freedom
Constitution of 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino recognized the validity of existing
Presidential Decrees unless otherwise repealed.

A Republic Act is a piece of legislation used to create policy to carry out the principles of the
Constitution. It is crafted and passed by the Congress of the Philippines and approved by the
President of Philippines. It can only be repealed by a similar act of Congress.

Module I: Codes and Regulations

CHAPTER I
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

PD 1096
National Building Code of the Philippines
Revising RA 6541 “An Act to Ordain and Institute a National Building Code of the Philippines”

SECTION 301. 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.

SECTION 401. TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION

Type I
• Shall be a wood construction
• The structural elements may be any of the materials permitted by this Code.
Type II
• Shall be of wood construction with protective fire-resistant materials and one-hour fire-
resistive throughout.
Type III
• Shall be of masonry and wood construction.
Type IV
• Shall be of steel, iron, concrete, or masonry construction.
Type V
• Shall be fire resistive. The structural elements shall be of steel, iron, concrete, or masonry
construction.
CHAPTER VII
CLASSIFICATION AND GENERAL REQUIREMENT OF ALL BUILDINGS BY USE OF OCCUPANCY

SECTION 701
OCCUPANCY CLASSIFIED:
Group A- Residential Dwellings
Group B- Residentials, Hotels and Apartments
Group C- Education and Recreation
Group D- Institutional
Group E- Business and Mercantile
Group F- Industrial
Group G- Storage and Hazardous
Group H- Assembly Other Than Group I
Group I- Assembly Occupant Load 1000 or More
Group J- Accessory

SECTION 704
LOCATION OF PROPERTY
-No Building shall be constructed unless it adjoins or has direct access to a public space yard or
street on at least one of its sides.
- for the purpose of this Section, the center line of an adjoining street or alley shall be
considered an adjacent property line.
- Eaves over required windows shall not be less than 750 millimeters from the side and rear
property lines.
FIRE RESISTANCE OF WALLS
-Distance shall be measured at right angles from the property line. When openings in exterior
walls are required to be protected due to distance from property line, the sum of the areas of
such openings in any storey shall not exceed 50 percent of the total area of the wall in that
storey.
-Buildings on Same Property and Buildings Containing Courts For the purpose of determining
the required wall and opening protection, buildings on the same property and court walls shall
be assumed to have a property line between them.

SECTION 705
ALLOWABLE FLOOR AREAS
-the allowable floor areas for one-storey building and buildings over one-storey shall not
exceed the limits prescribed by the Secretary for each occupancy groups and/or types of
construction.

SECTION 706
ALLOWABLE FLOOR AREA INCREASES
-May be increased in certain specific instances and under appropriate conditions, based on the
existence of public space, streets or yards extending along and adjoining two or more sides of
the building or structure subject to the approval of the Building Official.
SECTION 707
MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS
-The maximum height and number of storeys of every building shall be dependent upon the
character of occupancy and the type of construction as determined by the Secretary
considering population density, building bulk, widths of streets and car parking requirements.

The height shall be measured from the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface:
-Provided, that the height measured from the lowest adjoining surface shall not exceed such
maximum height by more than 3.00 meters:
- Except, that towers, spires, and steeples, erected as part of a building and not used for
habitation or storage are limited as to height only by structural design if completely of
incombustible materials, or may extend not to exceed 6.00 meters above the height limits for
each occupancy group if of combustible materials.

SECTION 708
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR GROUP A DWELLINGS
a) Dwelling Location and Lot
Occupancy
b) Light and Ventilation
c) Sanitation
d) Foundation
e) Post
f) Floor
g) Roof
h) Stairs
i) Entrance and Exit
j) Electrical Requirements
k) Mechanical Requirements

SECTION 709
REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER GROUP OCCUPANCIES
-Subject to the provisions of this Code, the Secretary shall promulgate rules and regulations for
each of the other Group Occupancies covering allowable construction, height, and area;
location on property, exit facilities, light, ventilation, and sanitation; enclosures of vertical
openings; fire extinguishing systems; and special hazards.

CHAPTER VIII. LIGHT AND VENTILATION

SECTION 801
-Every building shall be designed, constructed, and equipped to provide adequate light and
ventilation.
- All buildings shall face a street or public alley or a private street which has been duly
approved.
-No building shall be altered nor arranged to reduce the size of any room or the relative area of
windows to less than that provided for buildings under this Code.
-No building shall be enlarged so that the dimensions of the required court or yard would be
less than that prescribed for such building.

SECTION 805
CEILING HEIGHTS
a) Habitable rooms provided with artificial ventilation have
ceiling heights not less than 2.40 meters measured from
the floor to the ceiling.
• Provided that for buildings of more than one-storey, the minimum ceiling height of the
first storey shall be 2.70 meters and that for the second storey 2.40 meters and succeeding
storeys shall have an unobstructed typical head-room clearance of not less than 2.10 meters
above the finished floor. Above stated rooms with a natural ventilation shall have ceiling height
not less than 2.70 meters.
b) Mezzanine floors shall have a clear ceiling height not less than 1.80 meters above and below
it.

SECTION 806
SIZE AND DIMENSIONS OF ROOMS
Minimum sizes of rooms and their least horizontal dimensions shall be as follows:
-Rooms for Human Habitations. 6.00 square meters with at least dimensions of 2.00.
-Kitchens. 3.00 square meters with at least dimension of 1.50 meters;
-Bath and toilet. 1.20 square meters with at least dimension of 0.90 meters.

SECTION 807
AIR SPACE REQUIREMENTS IN DETERMINING THE SIZE OF ROOMS
Minimum space shall be provided as follows:
-School Rooms. 3.00 cubic meters with 1.00 square meter of floor area per person.
-Workshops, Factories, and Offices. 12.00 cubic meters of space per person.
-Habitable rooms. 14.00 cubic meters of space per person.

SECTION 808
WINDOW OPENINGS
Shall be provided with a window or windows with a total free area of openings equal to at least
ten percent of the floor area of room, and such window shall open directly to a court, yard,
public street or alley, or open water courses.

CHAPTER IX. SANITATION

All buildings erected, altered, remodeled, relocated, or repaired for human habitation shall be
provided with adequate and potable water supply, plumbing installation, and suitable
wastewater treatment or disposal system, storm water drainage, pest and vermin control, noise
abatement device, and such other measures required for the protection and promotion of
health of persons occupying the premises and other living nearby.
CHAPTER X. BUILDING PROJECTION OVER PUBLIC STREETS

SECTION 1001
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
-No part of any building or structure or any of its appendages shall project beyond the property
line of the building site, except as provided in this Code.
-the projection of any structure or appendage over a public property shall be the distance
measured horizontally from the property line to the outermost point of the projection.

SECTION 1002
PROJECTION INTO ALLEYS OR STREETS
-No part of any structure or its appendage shall project into any alley or street, national road, or
public highway except as provided in this Code.
- Footings located at least 2.40 meters below grade along national roads or public highway may
project not more than 300 millimeters beyond the property line.

SECTION 1003
PROJECTION OF BALCONIES AND APPENDAGES OVER STREETS
-the clearance between the established grade of the street and/or sidewalk and the lowest
under surface of any part of the balcony shall not be less than 3.00 meters.

SECTION 1005
CANOPIES (MARQUEES)
-A canopy or marquee is a permanent roofed structure above a door attached to and supported
by the building and projecting over a wall or sidewalk.
-The horizontal clearance between the outermost edge of the marquee and the carb line shall
be not less than 300 millimeters.
-The vertical clearance between the pavement or ground line and the under surface of any part
of the marquee shall not be less than 3.00 meters.

SECTION 1006
MOVABLE AWNINGS OR HOODS
-An awning is a movable shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building and of a
type which can be retracted, folded, or collapsed against the face of a supporting building.
-The horizontal clearance between the awning and the curb line shall not be less than 300
millimeters.
-The vertical clearance between the undermost surface of the awning and the pavement or
ground line shall be not less than 2.40 meters.

SECTION 1007
DOORS, WINDOWS, AND THE LIKE
-Doors, windows, and the like less than 2.40 meters above the pavement or ground line shall
not, when fully opened or upon opening, project beyond the property line except fire exit
doors.
SECTION 1008
CORNER BUILDINGS WITH CHAFLANS
-Every corner building or solid fence on a public street or alley less than 3.60 meter in width
shall be truncated at the corner.
-If the building is arcaded, no chaflan is required notwithstanding the width of the public street
or alley, less than 12.00 meters.

CHAPTER 2. ARCHITECTURAL CODE

ARCHITECT’S NATIONAL CODE

-RA 9266
-The Architecture Act of 2004

CHAPTER 3. NATIONAL STRUCTURAL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

NSCP VOLUME I
Composed of Seven Chapters
1. General Requirements
2. Minimum Design Loads
3. Earthworks and Foundations
4. Structural Concrete
5. Structural Steel 6. Wood
7. Masonry

CHAPTER 4. ELECTRICA CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

RA 7920
-An act providing for a more responsive and comprehensive regulation for the practice,
licensing, and registration of electrical engineers and electricians.
-New Electrical Engineering Law.

CHAPTER 5. FIRE CODE

RA 9514
-An Act Establishing a Comprehensive Fire Code of the Philippines, Repealing PD 1185 and for
Other Purposes
-This Act shall be known as the “Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008”.
-It is the policy of the State to ensure public safety, promote economic development through
the prevention and suppression of all kinds, of destructive fires, and promote the
professionalization of the fire service as a profession.
CHAPTER 6. NATIONAL PLUMBING CODE

RA 1378
-An Act to Regulate the Trade Of Master Plumber
-This Act shall be known as the “Plumbing Law”.
- To ensure the qualified observance of the latest provision of the plumbing and environmental
laws.

CHAPTE 7. SANITATION CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

PD 856
Code on Sanitation of the Philippines