Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1096)
The official title is 'National Building Code of the Philippines.'
The primary policy objective is to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare consistent with sound environmental management by establishing minimum standards regulating location, design, construction, use, occupancy, and maintenance of buildings.
The Code applies to design, location, siting, construction, alteration, repair, conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance, moving, demolition, and addition to public and private buildings and structures, except traditional indigenous family dwellings.
The Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Code.
A Building Official must be a Filipino citizen of good moral character, a duly registered architect or civil engineer, a member in good standing of an accredited professional organization for at least 2 years, and has at least 5 years of diversified professional experience in building design and construction.
Violators may be fined up to twenty thousand pesos, imprisoned for up to two years, or both. In the case of corporations, penalties are imposed on responsible officials, and aliens shall be deported after sentence.
A building permit must first be obtained from the assigned Building Official where the building or work is located.
The Building Official must issue the permit within fifteen days from payment. If work authorized by the permit does not begin within one year or is suspended for 120 days, the permit becomes null and void.
Public buildings and traditional indigenous family dwellings are exempt from payment of building permit fees.
Fire zones are areas within which only certain types of buildings are permitted based on use or occupancy, type of construction, and fire resistance.
Stairways must have minimum width requirements depending on occupant load, proper rise and run of steps, handrails on both sides, minimum headroom clearance of 2 meters, proper landings, and fire-resistive enclosure as specified based on occupancy type.
Maximum height is dependent on occupancy character, type of construction, population density, building bulk, street width, and parking requirements as determined by the Secretary.
Every dwelling must be constructed to provide adequate light and ventilation per Code standards, have at least one sanitary toilet, and comply with minimum ceiling heights and window openings for natural light.
An exit is a continuous, unobstructed means of egress to a public way, including doors, corridors, stairways, ramps, smokeproof enclosures, and other designated passageways.
Change is allowed only if the building complies with Code requirements for the new occupancy and if the new use has less life and fire hazard.