Legal basis and related laws
- Batas Pambansa Blg. 220 (B.P. 220) mandates the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board to establish and promulgate standards and technical requirements for economic and socialized housing projects.
- The amendments are issued to review BP 220-related standards in relation to the Fire Code and the National Building Code.
- The board resolution identifies P.D. 957, P.D. 1216, P.D. 1096, and P.D. 1185 as prior bases for housing standards that B.P. 220 provides levels of standards and technical requirements from.
- Compliance standards in the amendments repeatedly require conformity with the National Building Code of the Philippines and its implementing rules, and with the Fire Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
- The amendments refer to Section 3.1007 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Fire Code of the Philippines (Annex I) in connection with exits and related life-safety standards.
Policy and purpose
- The amendments are designed to uphold the “spirit of B.P. 220” by promoting cost efficient production of affordable socialized and low cost housing.
- The amendments are intended to align BP 220 housing standards with requirements under the Fire Code and the National Building Code.
Coverage: subdivisions and housing types
- The amended standards cover economic housing and socialized housing under BP 220.
- The amendments specifically apply to residential subdivision project planning and design standards under Rule II, Section 5.C.2.b and c.
- The amendments set technical standards for building design standards under Section 6, including standards for single family dwelling and multi-family dwellings and condominiums.
- The amendments include definitions for key terms under Section 19, including firewall.
Amended subdivision site and design parameters
- Rule II, Section 5.C.2.b sets minimum lot area standards for housing types as follows:
- Single detached: 72 sqm (Economic) and 64 sqm (Socialized)
- Duplex/single attached: 54 sqm (Economic) and 48 sqm (Socialized)
- Row houses: 36 sqm (Economic) and 28 sqm (Socialized)
- Rule II, Section 5.C.2.b requires that saleable lots designated as duplex/single attached and/or row house lots be provided with housing components.
- Rule II, Section 5.C.2.b limits the price of saleable lots intended for single detached units: it shall not exceed 40% of the maximum selling price of the house and lot package.
- Rule II, Section 5.C.2.c sets minimum lot frontage standards as follows:
- Single detached: 8m for corner, 8m for regular, 4m for irregular (both economic and socialized), and 3m for interior lots (both economic and socialized)
- Duplex/single attached: 6m for both economic and socialized
- Row house: 4m (Economic) and 3.5m (Socialized)
- The amendments require that for row houses, there shall be a maximum of 20 units per block or cluster and in no case shall the block length be more than 100 meters.
Amended building design standards
- Section 6.A applies single family dwelling standards to both Economic and Socialized Housing.
- Section 6.A.2.f is deleted through the amendments, and the remaining provisions under Section 6 govern the specified building design requirements.
- Firewall requirement (single family dwelling): Whenever a dwelling abuts on a property line, a firewall is required under Section 6.A.
- The firewall under Section 6.A must be:
- of masonry construction
- at least 150 millimeters (6 inches) thick
- extending vertically from the lowest portion of the wall adjoining the living units to a minimum height of 0.30 meter above the highest point of the roof attached to it
- extending horizontally to a minimum distance of 0.30 meter beyond the outermost edge of the abutting living units
- The firewall under Section 6.A must be provided for duplex/single attached units and at every unit for rowhouses.
- Opening prohibition (firewall): No opening whatsoever is allowed in the firewall except when the two abutting spaces of 2 adjacent living units are unenclosed or partially open (e.g., carports, terraces, patios); in that case, a separation wall is required instead.
- Ceiling compartmentalization: Ceilings should be compartmentalized and should not be continuous from one living unit to another.
Multi-family and condominium standards
- Section 6.B applies multi-family dwellings and condominiums standards to both Economic and Socialized Housing.
- Parking requirement (multi-family and condominiums) under Section 6.B.1.g is:
- one (1) parking slot per eight (8) living units
- parking slot size for an average automobile must be computed as 2.5 meters by 5.0 meters for perpendicular or diagonal parking and 2.15 meters by 6.0 meters for parallel parking
- The driveway may be used as a parking area provided the minimum right-of-way is maintained.
- Off-site parking may be allowed in addition to on-site parking only if the designated parking area is part of the project and is not 100 meters away from the condominium project.
- Additional parking space requirements imposed by local ordinances are mandatory.
- Minimum floor area (living unit) under Section 6.B.2.a:
- economic housing: 22-square meters
- socialized housing: 18 square meters
- for BP 220 condominium projects: 18 square meters
- Exits and life-safety conformity under Section 6.B.2.b requires standards for exits, corridors, exterior exit balconies, and common stairways to conform with the National Building Code of the Philippines, its implementing rules and regulations, and Section 3.1007 of the Fire Code Implementing Rules (Annex I).
- An automatic fire alarm suppression system should be provided for structures more than 15 meters in height.
- Compliance with Fire Code is mandatory under Section 6.B.2.c.6.
- Elevators (if applicable) under Section 6.B.2.c.6 require elevators for buildings of 6 storeys and beyond, conforming to plans and specifications of the duly licensed architect/engineer, who determines:
- number of cars, capacity, safety features and standards, elevator type, speed, and location
- The design architect/engineer under Section 6.B.2.c.6 must certify under oath that elevator components comply with:
- the National Building Code of the Philippines
- the Accessibility Law
- National Industry Standards
- other pertinent laws
Definitions and key term: firewall
- Section 19 defines firewall for purposes of the rules.
- A firewall under Section 19.i is any wall that separates 2 abutting living units and extends vertically from the lowest portion of the wall adjoining the two living units up to a minimum height of 0.30 meter above the highest portion of the roof attached to it.
- The firewall under Section 19.i also extends horizontally to a minimum distance beyond the outermost edge of the abutting living units.
Board resolution amendments and deletions
- HLURB Board Resolution No. R-824, s. 2008 amends:
- Rule II, Section 5.C.2.b and c
- Section 6.A.2.h
- Section 6.B.1.g
- Section 6.B.2.a-b and c.6
- Section 19, Item j
- HLURB Board Resolution No. R-824, s. 2008 deletes:
- Section 6.A.2.f
- Rule V, Section 19, Item I (as titled in the resolution)
- The amendments take effect 11 February 2009, fifteen (15) days after publication.
Implementing effectivity mechanics
- The amendments are published and become effective on the stated publication-transitory deadline of 11 February 2009.
- The administrative order instructs compliance with the amendments upon effectivity after the 15-day publication period.