BUILDING CODE | Lower House approves proposal to update ‘obsolete’ national building code

August 10, 2023 , 05:37 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(August 10, 2023) – Congress has approved on third and final reading a measure to update the decades-old national building code, adapting to latest trends in building standards and the impacts of climate change.

With 266 affirmative votes, the Lower House unanimously passed the proposed “New Philippine Building Act,” which would replace the existing building code under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1096 that was enacted in 1977.

Speaker Martin Romualdez said the legislation seeks to “protect the public against multiple hazards like fire, weather disturbances, and earthquake better than our existing building law and regulations.”

“It’s time that we update our law under the second Marcos administration,” Romualdez said in a news release. “A single life or structure we can save is more than worth the time, money, and effort we have put in keeping our building law abreast with best practices and regulations.”

The proposed New Philippine Building Act seeks a new system of classification for buildings – such as residential, business, commercial/mercantile, educational, agricultural, institutional, factory/industrial, storage, utilities, and high-hazard – with updated construction standards and requirements established for each category.

It also seeks to allow local governments to come up with their own building ordinances provided they are consistent with the national law.

The bill also proposed to designate the public works secretary as the National Building Official (NBO) and the chief implementer of the proposed law.

Gross violations under the measure would be penalized by a fine of up to 1% of the estimated construction costs and/or up to six years imprisonment. Other prohibited acts would be subject to administrative fines and sanctions.

Surigao del Sur Congressman Romeo Momo Sr., a former public works undersecretary, said the building code needed to be updated to “conform with the present challenges.”

The process of securing a building permit also has to be streamlined to enhance ease of doing business in the country while still making sure that building regulations promote the safety and security of people, he said.

Another former public works official and author of the measure, Bulacan Congressman Salvador Pleyto Sr., also said the government needs to ensure that buildings in the country can withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake among other disasters.

“This law (PD 1096) has to be repealed. We have been using this obsolete law,” Pleyto said.

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