Earthquake-Resistant Design Advisory 1991

It is a DPWH administrative issuance that provides guidance/advisory on earthquake-resistant design. While not itself a stand-alone building code, it is intended to direct compliance and harmonize engineering practice with mandatory standards under the National Building Code and related referral codes.

As a minimum, the design must conform with the current National Building Code and its referral codes, particularly the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP), Volume I, Revised Edition 1991.

The National Structural Code of the Philippines, Volume I, Revised Edition 1991.

Yes, the advisory states that the ASEP Guide “should be adopted as reference,” meaning it is expected to be used as a guiding reference alongside the National Building Code/NSCP.

Engineering professionals—particularly Structural Engineers—undertaking designs for the construction of private and public buildings and related structures.

To mitigate damages due to earthquakes by providing guidance for earthquake-resistant design.

It provides a special advisory: design engineers are advised to address liquefaction as a design problem in their structural design.

It instructs engineers to consider additional hazards beyond general code compliance—specifically liquefaction and ridge/height amplification effects on slopes—to reflect site-specific risks.

It advises engineers to consider the probable occurrence of “ridge amplification” (ground motion amplification) and related landslide concerns in their design.

It indicates that baseline compliance is with the National Building Code and its referral codes (not optional). The additional references/special advisories are supplemental but do not replace minimum code conformity.

Because administrative issuances can be used to establish the standard of care, interpret regulatory expectations, and demonstrate what reference standards engineers were directed to follow alongside the mandatory building code provisions.

It strengthens the document’s authenticity and confirms official adoption by DPWH, making it a credible basis for interpreting what guidance DPWH intended for compliance and information dissemination.

The engineer is advised to address liquefaction in the design (i.e., incorporate appropriate geotechnical/structural measures rather than relying solely on generic seismic design).

The design engineer should consider ridge amplification effects in the design and account for related risks such as landslides.

The advisory treats the NSCP as a key referral code under the National Building Code for earthquake-resistant structural design standards.

It specifically references the National Structural Code of the Philippines, Volume I, Revised Edition 1991, indicating that this edition should be used as a relevant standard for compliance.