Presidential Decree No.

1185 August 26, 1977 BLASTING AGENT Any material or mixture

Repealed by RA 9514 consisting of a fuel and oxidizer used to set
FIRE CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES off explosives.
WHEREAS, death and injury to persons and loss and CELLULOSE NITRATE OR NITRO CELLULOSE A
damage to property by fire have reached alarming highly combustible and explosive compound
proportion that the economic and social gains of the produced by the reaction of nitric acid with a
society are being continually undermined; cellulose material.
WHEREAS, in order to effect a meaningful reduction CELLULOSE NITRATE PLASTIC (PYROXYLIN)
of the alarming fire losses, there is a need to develop Any plastic substance, materials or
national consciousness and involvement of all compound having cellulose nitrate (nitro
persons in the prevention and suppression of fires; cellulose) as base.
WHEREAS, fire prevention and suppression require COMBUSTIBLE, FLAMMABLE OR
the adoption of uniform fire safety standards, the INFLAMMABLE Descriptive of materials that
incorporation of fire safety construction and are easily set on fire.
provision of protective and safety devices in buildings COMBUSTIBLE FIBER Any readily ignitable
and structures; and free burning fiber such as cotton,
WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for an agency oakum, rags, waste cloth, waste paper,
primarily responsible for the implementation and kapok, hay, straw, Spanish moss, excelsior
coordination of the activities of all sectors of society and other similar materials commonly used
on fire safety, prevention and suppression; in commerce.
WHEREAS, in order to effectively implement all COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID Any liquid having a
efforts to minimize the occurrence of fires and their flash point at or above 37.8_C (100_F).
destructive effects, full financial, equipment and CORROSIVE LIQUID Any liquid which causes
personnel support by the government and the private fire when in contact with organic matter or
sector is necessary; with certain chemicals.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, CURTAIN BOARD A vertical panel of non-
President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers combustible or fire resistive materials
vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and attached to and extending below the bottom
decree as part of the law of the land the following: chord of the roof trusses, to divide the
Section 1. Title. This Decree and the Rules and underside of the roof into separate
Regulations for its implementation shall be known as compartments so that heat and smoke will
the "Fire Code of the Philippines" and shall be directed upwards to a roof vent.
hereinafter be referred to as the "Fire Code". CRYOGENIC Descriptive of any material
Section 2. Declaration Of Policies. The following are which by its nature or as a result of its
declared policies of the State: reaction with other elements produces a
(a) The government, with the cooperation of rapid drop in temperature of the immediate
the private sector, shall develop and surroundings.
promulgate sets of standards and DAMPER A normally open device installed
regulations taking into consideration the inside an air duct system which
latest development in fire technology automatically closes to restrict the passage
suitable to Philippine conditions; of smoke or fire.
(b) Fire prevention and fire safety shall be DISTILLATION The process of first raising the
given equal, if not greater emphasis as the temperature in separate the more volatile
suppression or extinguishment of fires. Fire from the less volatile parts and then cooling
prevention education shall be undertaken and condensing the resulting vapor so as to
continuously involving all sectors of the produce a nearly purified substance.
community; DUCT SYSTEM A continuous passageway for
(c) The Fire Service of the Integrated the transmission of air.
National Police shall endeavor to respond to DUST A finely powdered substance which,
all fires before they reach critical and when mixed with air in the proper
conflagration stages. Towards this end, the proportion and ignited will cause an
organization, administration and operation explosion.
of the Fire Service shall be improved and ELECTRICAL ARC An extremely hot luminous
developed, its personnel and equipment bridge formed by passage of an electric
augmented and effective fire alarm systems current across a space between two
set up; and conductors or terminals due to the
(d) The Fire Service shall be professionalized. incandescence of the conducting vapor.
For this purpose, educational institutions EMBER A hot piece or lump that remains
shall endeavor to include in their curricula, after a material has partially burned, and is
courses on fire technology and fire still oxidizing without the manifestation of
protection engineering. flames.
Section 3. Definition Of Terms. As used in this Fire FINISHES Materials used as final coating of a
Code, the following words and phrases shall mean surface for ornamental or protective
and be construed as indicated: purposes.
ABATEMENT Any act that would remove or FIRE The active principle of burning,
neutralize a fire hazard. characterized by the heat and light of
ADMINISTRATOR Any person who acts as combustion.
agent of the owner and manages the use of FIRE TRAP A building unsafe in case of fire
a building for him. because it will burn easily or because it lacks
adequate exits or fire escapes.
FIRE ALARM Any visual or audible signal HOSE REEL A cylindrical device turning on an
produced by a device or system to warm the axis around which a fire hose is wound and
occupants of the building or fire fighting connected.
elements of the presence or danger of fire to HYPERGOLIC FUEL A rocket or liquid
enable them to undertake immediate action propellant which consist of combinations of
to save life and property and to suppress the fuels and oxidizers which ignite
fire. spontaneously on contact with each other.
FIRE DOOR A fire resistive door prescribed INDUSTRIAL BAKING AND DRYING The
for openings in fire separation walls or industrial process of subjecting materials to
partitions. heat for the purpose of removing solvents or
FIRE HAZARD Any condition or act which moisture from the same, and/or to fuse
increases or may cause an increase in the certain chemical salts to form a uniform
probability of the occurrence of fire, or glazing the surface of materials being
which may obstruct, delay, hinder or treated.
interfere with fire fighting operations and JUMPER A piece of metal or an electrical
the safeguarding of life and property. conductor used to bypass a safety device in
FIRE LANE The portion of a roadway or an electrical system.
publicway that should be kept opened and OCCUPANCY The purpose for which a
unobstructed at all times for the expedient building or portion thereof is used or
operation of fire fighting units. intended to be used.
FIRE PROTECTIVE AND FIRE SAFETY DEVICE OCCUPANT Any person actually occupying
Any device intended for the protection of and using a building or portions thereof by
buildings or persons to include but not virtue of a lease contract with the owner or
limited to built-in protection system such as administrator or by permission or sufferance
sprinklers and other automatic extinguishing of the latter.
system, detectors for heat, smoke and ORGANIC PEROXIDE A strong oxidizing
combustion products and other warning organic compound which releases oxygen
system components, personal protective readily. It causes fire when in contact with
equipment such as fire blankets, helmets, combustible materials especially under
fire suits, gloves and other garments that conditions of high temperature.
may be put on or worn by persons to protect OVERLOADING The use of one or more
themselves during fire. electrical appliances or devices which draw
FIRE SAFETY CONSTRUCTIONS Refers to or consume electrical current beyond the
design and installation of walls, barriers, designed capacity of the existing electrical
doors, windows, vents, means of egress, etc. system.
integral to and incorporated into a building OWNER The person who holds the legal right
or structure in order to minimize danger to of possession or title to a building or real
life from fire, smoke, fumes or panic before property.
the building is evacuated. These features are OXIDIZING MATERIAL A material that readily
also designed to achieve, among others, safe yields oxygen in quantities sufficient to
and rapid evacuation of people through stimulate or support combustion.
means of egress sealed from smoke or fire, PRESSURIZED OR FORCED DRAFT BURNING
the confinement of fire or smoke in the room EQUIPMENT Type or burner where the fuel
or floor of origin and delay their spread to is subjected to pressure prior to discharge
other parts of the building by means of into the combustion chamber and/or which
smoke sealed and fire resistant doors, walls includes fans or other provisions for the
and floors. It shall also mean to include the introduction of air at above normal
treatment of buildings components or atmosphere pressure into the same
contents with flame retardant chemicals. combustion chamber.
FLASH POINT The minimum temperature at PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BUILDING Any building or
which any material gives off vapor in structure where fifty (50) or more people
sufficient concentration to form an ignitable congregate, gather, or assemble for any
mixture with air. purpose.
FORCING A process where a piece of metal is PUBLIC WAY Any street, alley or other strip
heated prior to changing its shape or of land unobstructed from the ground to the
dimensions. sky, deeded, dedicated or otherwise
FULMINATE A kind of stable explosive permanently appropriated for public use.
compound which explodes by percussion. PYROPHORIC Descriptive of any substance
HAZARDOUS OPERATION/PROCESS Any act that ignites spontaneously when exposed to
of manufacturing, fabrication, conversion, air.
etc., that uses or produces materials which REFINING A process where impurities and/or
are likely to cause fires or explosions. deleterious materials are removed from a
HORIZONTAL EXIT Passageway from one mixture in order to produce a pure element
building to another or through or around a of compound. It shall also refer to partial
wall in approximately the same floor level. distillation and electrolysis.
HOSE BOX A box or cabinet where fire hoses, SELF-CLOSING DOORS Automatic closing
valves and other equipment are stored and doors that are designed to confine smoke
arranged for fire fighting. and heat and delay the spread of fire.
 SMELTING Melting or fusing of metallic ores who are knowledgeable on fire prevention, fire
or compounds so as to separate impurities safety, and fire suppression. They may be drawn not
from pure metals. only from the organic members of the Integrated
SPRINKLER SYSTEM An integrated network National Police and other government offices and
of hydraulically designed piping installed in a agencies, but also from other sources. In the latter
building, structure or area with outlets case, they will either be appointed into the service or
arranged in a systematic pattern which hired as consultants in accordance with law. The
automatically discharges water when technical staff shall study, review and evaluate latest
activated by heat or combustion products developments and standards on fire technology;
from a fire. prepare plans/programs on fire safety, prevention
STANDPIPE SYSTEM A system of vertical and suppression and evaluate implementation
pipes in a building to which fire hoses can be thereof; develop programs on the professionalization
attached on each floor, including a system by of the fire service; coordinate with appropriate
which water is made available to the outlets government and private institutions for the offering
as needed. of college courses on fire technology and fire
VESTIBULE A passage hall or antechamber protection engineering; propose amendments to the
between the outer doors and the interior Fire Code; advise the Director General on any matter
parts of a house or building. brought to his attention; and perform such other
VERTICAL SHAFT An enclosed vertical space functions as directed on any matter brought to his
of passage that extends from floor to floor, attention and perform such other functions as
as well as from the base to the top of the directed by higher authorities.
building. Section 8. Inspections, Safety Measures, Fire Safety,
Section 4. Applicability Of The Code. The provisions Constructions, and Protective and/or Warning
of the Fire Code shall apply to all persons and all Systems. As may be defined and provided in the Rules
private and public buildings, facilities or structures and Regulations, owners, administrators or occupants
erected or constructed before and after its effectivity. of buildings, structures and their premises or facilities
Section 5. Grace Period. The owner, administrator or and other responsible persons shall be required to
occupant of buildings or structures existing at the comply with the following, as may be appropriate:
time of the effectivity of the Fire Code is given two (2) a. Inspection Requirement A fire safety
years to comply with the provisions thereof on fire inspection shall be conducted by the
safety constructions and on protective and warning Director General or his duly authorized
systems. However, the Director General of the representative as prerequisite to the grants
Integrated National Police may prescribe a shorter of permits and/or licenses by local
period depending upon the degree of hazard to be governments and other government
recorded and the cost and extent of the work to be agencies concerned, for the:
done. (1) Use or occupancy of buildings,
Section 6. Responsibility for the Enforcement of this structures, facilities or their
Code. The Fire Service, under the direct supervision premises including the installation
and control of the Director General of the Integrated or fire protection and fire safety
National Police, hereinafter referred to as the equipment, and electrical system in
"Director General" shall be responsible for the any building structure or facility;
enforcement of this Code, as well as pertinent (2) Storage, handling and/or use of
provisions of other laws pertaining to fire protection explosives or of combustible,
or fire safety. With the approval of the Secretary of flammable, toxic and other
National Defense, the Director General is hereby hazardous materials;
authorized to: b. Safety Measures for Hazardous Materials
(a) Issue implementing rules and regulations, Fire safety measures shall be required for the
and prescribe administrative penalties manufacture, storage, handling and/or use
therefore; of hazardous materials involving:
(b) Reorganize the Fire Service of the (1) Cellulose nitrate plastic of any
Integrated National Police as may be kind;
necessary and appropriate; (2) Combustible fibers;
(c) Enter into long term agreement, either (3) Cellular materials such as foam,
through public biddings or negotiations to rubber, sponge rubber and plastic
include advance payments therefor, for the foam;
acquisition of fire prevention, fire protection (4) Flammable and combustible
and fire fighting equipment, supplies and liquids or gases of any classification;
materials and related technical services (5) Flammable paints, varnishes,
necessary for the Fire Service; and stains and organic coatings;
(d) Enter into Memoranda of Agreement (6) High-piled or widely spread
with other departments, bureaus, agencies, combustible stock;
offices and corporations of the government, (7) Metallic magnesium in any form;
as well as private institutions, in order to (8) Corrosive liquids, oxidizing
define areas of corporation and coordination materials, organic peroxide,
and delineate responsibility on fire nitromethane, ammonium nitrate,
prevention education, fire safety, fire or any amount of highly toxic,
prevention, fire suppression and other pyrophoric, hypergolic, or
matters of common concern. cryogenic materials or poisonous
Section 7. Technical Staff. The Director General shall gases as well as material
constitute a technical staff of highly qualified persons compounds which when exposed to
 heat or flame become a fire boards and other fire containing or
conductor, or generate excessive stopping components;
smoke or toxic gases; (5) Termination of all exits in an
(9) Blasting agents, explosives and area affording safe passage to a
special industrial explosive public way or safe dispersal area;
materials, blasting caps, black (6) Stairway, vertical shafts,
powder, liquid nitro-glycerine, horizontal exits and other meals of
dynamite, nitro cellulose, egress sealed from smoke and heat;
fulminates of any kind, and plastic (7) A fire exit plan for each floor of
explosives containing ammonium the building showing the routes
salt or chlorate; from each other room to
(10) Fireworks materials of any kind appropriate exits, displayed
or form; prominently on the door of such
(11) Matches in commercial room;
quantities; (8) Self-closing fire resistive doors
(12) Hot ashes, live coals and leading to corridors;
embers; (9) Fire dampers in centralized air-
(13) Mineral, vegetable or animal conditioning ducts;
oils and other derivatives/by (10) Roof vents for use by fire
products; fighters; and
(14) Combustible waste materials (11) Properly marked and lighted
for recycling or resale; exits with provision for emergency
(15) Explosive dusts and vapors; lights to adequately illuminate exit
and ways in case of power failure.
(16) Agriculture, forest, marine or Section 9. Prohibited Acts. The following are declared
mineral products which may as prohibited act and omission.
undergo spontaneous combustion. (a) Obstructing or blocking the exit ways or
c. Safety measures for hazardous across to buildings clearly marked for fire
operation/processes Fire Safety measures safety purposes, such as but not limited to
shall be required for the following hazardous aisles in interior rooms, any part of
operation/processes: stairways, hallways, corridors, vestibules,
(1) Welding or soldering; balconies or bridges leading to a stairway or
(2) Industrial baking and drying; exit of any kind, or tolerating or allowing said
(3) Waste disposal; violations;
(4) Pressurized/forced-draft (b) Constructing gates, entrances and
burning equipment; walkways to buildings components and
(5) Smelting and forging; yards which obstruct the orderly and easy
(6) Motion picture projection using passage of fire fighting vehicles and
electrical arc lamps; equipment;
(7) Refining, distillation and solvent (c) Prevention, interference or obstruction of
extraction; and any operation of the Fire Service, or of duly
(8) Such other operations or organized and authorized fire brigades;
processes as may hereafter be (d) Obstructing designated fire lanes or
prescribed in the Rules and access to fire hydrants;
Regulations. (e) Overcrowding or admission of persons
d. Provision on Fire Safety Construction, beyond the authorized capacity in movie
Protective and Warning System Owners, houses, theaters, coliseums, auditoriums or
occupants or administrator or buildings, other public assembly buildings, except in
structures and their premises or facilities, other assembly areas on the ground floor
except such other buildings or structures as with open sides or open doors sufficient to
may be exempted in the rules and provide safe exits;
regulations to be promulgated under Section (f) Locking fire exits during period when
6 hereof, shall incorporate and provide people are inside the building;
therein fire safety construction, protective (g) Prevention or obstruction of the
and warning system, and shall develop and automatic closure of fire doors or smoke
implement fire safety programs, to wit: partitions or dampers;
(1) Fire protection features such as (h) Use of fire protective of fire fighting
sprinkler systems, hose boxes, hose equipment of the Fire Service other than for
reels or standpipe systems and fire fighting except in other emergencies
other fire fighting equipment; where their use are justified;
(2) Fire Alarm systems; (i) Giving false or malicious fire alarms;
(3) Fire walls to separate adjoining (j) Smoking in prohibited areas as may be
buildings, or warehouses and determined by Fire Service, or throwing of
storage areas from other cigars, cigarettes, burning objects in places
occupancies in the same building; which may start or cause fire;
(4) Provisions for confining the fire (k) Abandoning or leaving a building or
at its source such as fire resistive structure by the occupant or owner without
floors and walls extending up to the appropriate safety measures;
next floor slab or roof, curtain (l) Removing. destroying, tampering or
obliterating any authorized mark, seal, sign
 or tag posted or required by the Fire Service shall not absolve the violator from correcting
for fire safety in any building, structure or the deficiency or abating the fire hazard. The
processing equipment; and decision of the Director General, under this
(m) Use of jumpers or tampering with subsection, may be appealed to the
electrical wiring or overloading the electrical Secretary of National Defense, within fifteen
system beyond its designated capacity or (15) days from the date of receipt of the
such other practices that would tend to order imposing the administrative fine,
undermine the fire safety features of the stopping the operations and/or closure. The
electrical system. decision of the Secretary of National Defense
Section 10. Abatement of Fire Hazard. Fire hazards shall be final and executory.
shall be abated immediately. For this purpose, the (b) PUNITIVE In case of willful failure to
Director General or his duly authorized correct the deficiency or abate the fire
representative may issue order for such abatement. If hazard as provided in the preceding
the owner, administrator or occupant of buildings, subsection, the violator shall, upon
structure and their premises or facilities does not conviction, be punished by imprisonment of
abate the same within the period fixed in said order, not less than six (6) months nor more than
the occupancy permit or permit to operate shall be six (6) years, or by a fine of not more than
canceled. Any building or structure declared as a twenty thousand (P20,000.00) pesos or both
firetrap or is causing clear and present fire danger to such fine and imprisonment; Provided,
adjoining establishments and habitations shall be however, that in case of a corporation, firm,
declared a public nuisance, as defined in the Civil partnership or association, the fine and/or
Code of the Philippines. If the assessed value of the imprisonment shall be imposed upon its
building or structure is not more than twenty officials responsible for such violation, and in
thousand (P20,000.00) pesos, the owner, case the guilty party is an alien, in addition to
administrator or occupant thereof shall abate the the penalties herein prescribed, he shall
hazard within thirty (30 days or if the assessed value immediately be deported; Provided, finally,
is more than twenty thousand (P20,000.00) pesos, that were the violation is attended by loss of
within sixty (60) days from receipt of the order life and/or damage to property, the violator
declaring said building or structure a public nuisance; shall be proceeded against under the
otherwise, the Director General or his duly authorized applicable provisions of the Revised Penal
representative shall forthwith cause its summary Code.
abatement. Summary abatement as used herein shall Section 13. Appropriation and Sources of Income.
mean all corrective measures undertaken to abate (a) To support the manpower, infrastructure
hazards which shall include but not limited to and equipment needs of the Fire Service of
remodeling, repairing, strengthening, reconstructing, the Integrated National Police, the sum of
removal and demolition, either partial or total, of the one hundred million (P100,000,000.00)
building or structure. The expenses incurred by the pesos is hereby appropriated. Thereafter,
government for such summary abatement shall be the same of such amount as may be
borne by the owner, administrator or occupant. necessary to attain the objectives of the Fire
These expenses shall constitute a prior lien upon such Code shall be appropriated and included in
property. the annual appropriation of the Integrated
Section 11. Enforcement of The Lien. If the owner, National Police for the next ten (10) years.
administrator or occupant fails to reimburse the (b) To partially provide for the funding of the
government of the expenses incurred in the summary Fire Service the following taxes and fees
abatement within ninety (90) days from the which shall accrue to the General Fund of the
completion of such abatement, the building or National Government, are hereby imposed:
structure shall be sold at public auction in accordance (1) Fees to be charged for the
with existing laws and rules. No property subject of issuance of certificates, permits and
lien under Section 10 hereof, may be sold at a price licenses as provided for in Section 8
lower than the abatement expenses incurred by the (a) hereof;
government. The property shall be forfeited in favor (2) One-tenth of one per centum
of the government if the highest bid is not at least (0.1%) of the verified estimated
equal to the abatement expenses. value of buildings or structures to
Section 12. Penalties. be erected, from the owner
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE FINE Any person who thereof, but not to exceed fifty
violates any provision of the Fire Code or any thousand (P50,000.00) pesos, one
of the rules and regulations promulgated half to be paid prior to the issuance
under Section 6 hereof shall be penalized by of the building permit, and the
an administrative fine of not exceeding balance, after final inspection and
twelve thousand (P12,000.00) pesos or in prior to the issuance of the use and
the proper case, by stoppage of operations occupancy permit;
or by closure of such buildings, structures (3) One-hundredth of one per
and their premises or facilities which do not centum (0.10%) of the assessed
comply with the requirements or by both value of buildings or structures
such administrative fine and annually payable upon payment of
closure/stoppage of operation to be the real estate tax, except on
imposed by the Director General, Provided, structures used as single family
That the payment of the fine, stoppage of dwellings;
operations and/or closure of such buildings, (4) Two per centum (2%) of all
structures, and their premises or facilities premiums, excluding re-insurance
 premiums for the sale of fire,
earthquake and explosion hazard
insurance collected by companies,
persons or agents licensed to sell
such insurances in the Philippines;
(5) Two per centum (2%) of gross
sales of companies, persons or
agents selling fire fighting
equipment, appliances or devices,
including hazard detection and
warning systems; and
(6) Two per centum (2%) of the
service fees received from fire,
earthquake, and explosion hazard
preinsurance surveys and post loss
service of insurance adjustment
companies doing business in the
Philippines directly through agents.
Section 14. Collection of Taxes, Fees and Fines. All
taxes, fees and fines provided in Section 13 hereof,
shall be collected by the City or Municipal Treasurer
concerned for remittance to the National Treasury.
Section 15. Separability Clause. If any provision of
this Code or the application of such provisions to any
person or circumstance is declared unconstitutional,
the remainder of the Code or the application of such
provision to other persons or circumstances shall not
be affected by such declaration.
Section 16. Repealing Clause. Provisions of
Presidential Decree No. 442, otherwise known as the
Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended and
Presidential Decree No. 1096, otherwise known as the
National Building Code and other laws, decrees,
orders or regulations in conflict or inconsistent with
the provisions of this Fire Code are hereby repealed
or modified accordingly.
Section 17. Effectivity. This Fire Code and its Rules
and Regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after
their publication in newspapers of general circulation.
Done in the City of Manila, this 26th day of August, in
the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-
seven.