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National Building Code of The Philippines

The National Building Code of the Philippines is a set of laws and regulations governing construction and renovation projects in the country. It was first established in the 1970s to regulate building standards and safety due to urbanization. The Code was revised in 1977 and 2005 to update provisions. It requires property owners to obtain building permits by submitting plans and documents to inspectors to ensure code compliance during construction. The Code also outlines exemptions and experts have proposed further revisions to improve disaster resiliency and health standards.

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Kimberly Tayco
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4K views8 pages

National Building Code of The Philippines

The National Building Code of the Philippines is a set of laws and regulations governing construction and renovation projects in the country. It was first established in the 1970s to regulate building standards and safety due to urbanization. The Code was revised in 1977 and 2005 to update provisions. It requires property owners to obtain building permits by submitting plans and documents to inspectors to ensure code compliance during construction. The Code also outlines exemptions and experts have proposed further revisions to improve disaster resiliency and health standards.

Uploaded by

Kimberly Tayco
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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National Building Code of the Philippines:

Explained
November 2, 2022 by Enta
Anyone who’s ever been involved with a real estate project should be familiar
with the National Building Code of the Philippines. But even they would do well to
bookmark a summary of the law’s latest edition for future reference.

If you’re a private individual planning to construct a new home or office or just do


some renovations in your house, you’d also best read up on the National Building
Code of the Philippines. You’d be surprised to learn that some very specific rules
govern the building of a property.

Here’s all you need to know about the National Building Code.

Table of Contents

 What is the National Building Code of the Philippines?


 History of the National Building Code of the Philippines
 What is a building permit?
 Applying for a Building Permit
 Building Permit Processing
 Exemptions to the Building Code
 What’s next for the National Building Code?
 Why You Should Care About the Building Code

What is the National Building Code of the


Philippines?
The National Building Code of the Philippines is a law composed of a
standardized set of rules and regulations about the construction and renovation
of real estate projects in the country. As demand for housing and other buildings
grows, so does the need for provisions to keep real estate developers, architects,
engineers, and builders in line.
In general, building codes act as foundation guidelines for the construction of
safe structures. They typically involve not only the buildings’ construction but also
their maintenance, use, and occupancy in the interest of public health and safety.

History of the National Building Code of the


Philippines
In the 1970s, the rising urbanization and growing population in the Philippines led
to the creation of Republic Act No. 6541, also known as “An Act to Ordain and
Institute a National Building Code of the Philippines.” The provisions of the Code
involved “the construction, alteration, design, location, siting, conversion, use,
repair, occupancy, maintenance, moving, the demolition of, and addition to,
public and private buildings and structures.”

In 1977, Presidential Decree 1096 replaced the Republic Act No. 6541.

Also known as “Adopting a National Building Code of the Philippines Thereby


Revising Republic Act Numbered Sixty-Five Hundred Forty-One,” P.D. 1096 was
signed by then-president Ferdinand E. Marcos. It emphasized technical services
and assistance and standardized building requirements.

In 2005, the National Building Code got a revision once again. Its set of rules and
regulations is still the version that the real estate and construction industries use
today. Titled “Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Building Code
of the Philippines,” the latest version’s foreword states that the 1977 National
Building Code had “achieved the purpose of enforcing uniform standards and
requirements on building design, construction, use, occupancy and maintenance
in line with the policy of the state to safeguard life, health, property, and public
welfare.” The 2005 Code came into existence to update and emphasize
provisions of the original version according to technological developments and
issues of urban planning.

What is a building permit?


Owners should secure a building permit to legally commence the demolition,
repair, or construction of any building. You can acquire this permit from building
officials assigned to their area. These officials must inspect building sites to make
sure they are following the rules and regulations stipulated in the Code.
If the building official finds that the site violates the Code in any way, they may
choose to halt construction and identify the appropriate changes before the
building can resume.

Applying for a Building Permit


Applying for a building permit requires you to fill out the necessary application
forms and submit other related documents.
For instance, if you’re the owner of a lot that needs a permit, you’d need to
submit:

1. a certified true copy of the original or transfer of certificate of title of the land

2. your tax declaration

3. your current real property tax receipt

If you aren’t the owner of the lot, you’d have to submit all the above plus:

1. a duly notarized copy of the Contract of Lease or Deed of Absolute Sale.

The rest of the required documents have to do with survey plans, architectural
plans, interior design, fire safety, mechanical plans, sanitary plans, and electronic
plans. Aside from this, you would have to detail the planned use or occupancy for
the proposed work as well as the project’s estimated cost.

Building Permit Processing


Once the applicant submits all requirements, the building official and their staff
must inspect the construction zone, process the building permit, and ensure that
the applicant adheres to the provisions of the Code.

The building owner, on the other hand, must hire a licensed architect or civil
engineer outside of the project to inspect the construction zone full-time.
Construction progress must be posted in an official logbook to be submitted to
the building official by the end of the project.

The team behind the project must also submit a Certificate of Project Completion
that states they adhered to the provisions of the Code.

They then should file for a Certificate of Occupancy once there is an approval of
the completed project. Without it, no one can occupy the building.

Exemptions to the Building Code


Section 209 of the 2005 Code lists public buildings and traditional indigenous
family dwellings as exempt from payment of building permit fees. These
structures must use native materials such as nipa, bamboo, lumber, or logs, all
amounting to P15,000 or less.

What’s next for the National Building Code?


Since it’s been almost two decades since the revision of the Code, quite a few
industry experts have voiced concerns that it has become outdated. They feel
that it might be time for a new revision soon.

For instance, lawmakers filed House Bill 5607, an act aiming to mandate a
comprehensive nationwide inspection of buildings and impose “stiff penalties
against building officials who violate the pertinent provisions” of the Code.

Senate Bill 2087, on the other hand, sought to create an entirely new Code with
different standards regarding disaster resiliency and provisions in consideration
of human health.

Why You Should Care About the Building Code


The National Building Code of the Philippines is the reason we’re able to sleep in
our homes, shop at our favorite malls, and work at our offices without having to
worry about our safety.
The Code ensures that these structures can withstand natural calamities, which
is especially important if one lives in a high-risk area.
Whether you’re part of the real estate or construction industry or just interested in
how building safety works, you should check out the latest edition of the National
Building Code–or at least its summary!

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