Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 2646

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY ANNUAL INSPECTION OF ALL PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SCHOOL BUILDINGS BY THE CITY OR MUNICIPAL ENGINEER OR
BUILDING OFFICIAL AND FOR OTHER RELATED PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The collapse of the three-storey Evangelical Promise school building in Petion
Ville, a suburb located in the Hatian capital of Port-au-Prince, last November 7, 2008 left
at least 50 dead and hundreds injured with many still trapped in the rubbles for days.

The tragedy is reminiscent of the collapse of the Central Colleges of the
Philippines school building in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ejica during the July 1990 earthquake
as well as the more recent collapse of numerous school buildings in the wake of 7.9-
magnitude earthquake in China's southwestern province of Sichuan last May 12, 2008.

‘As a preemptive and preventive measure and to minimize, if not totally avoid the
occurrence of similar tragedies in the Philippines in the future, the proponents believe
that it would be prudent to institute the annual mandatory inspection of all school
buildings in the country. This could be done economically, using existing local
government resources and/or personnel, and would go a long way in ensuring the
Suitability, safety and structural of the buildings being used by school children and
young students all over the country.

It is in this light that early passage of this legislative measure is respectfully
enjoined.

DIOSDADO LD "AGAL ARROYO GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo.__2646

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY ANNUAL INSPECTION OF ALL PUBLIC AND.
PRIVATE SCHOOL BUILDINGS BY THE CITY OR MUNICIPAL ENGINEER
OR BUILDING OFFICIAL AND FOR OTHER RELATED PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “School Building
Safety Act of 2013.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared that it is the
policy of the State to ensure the safety, security, suitability and structural integrity
of each and every school building in the country at the beginning of each school
year to ensure that the same are safe, secure, appropriate and suitably for use
by the school children and students intended to use the same.

SECTION 3. Mandatory Annual Inspection. — It shall be the principal duty
of the City Engineer or the Municipal Engineer and/or the Building Official of each
and every City or Municipality in the country to conduct an annual inspection of
all school buildings, whether private or public, within their territorial jurisdiction at
least forty-five (45) days prior to the start of each and every school year. The
purpose of such inspection shalll be to ensure the safety, security, suitability and
structural integrity all school buildings for use by school children and/or students
for the purpose or purposes for which the same are intended.


SECTION 4. Report. — Within three (3) days after the inspection, the City
or Municipal Engineer or Building Official shall render a comprehensive report
disclosing his findings and recommendations for each and every school building
inspected which should cover the following matters, to wit:

(a) The structural integrity of the building and its fitness to be used for the
purposes it is intended, including its capacity to accommodate the
number of students or persons intended to use the same, including the
capacity of the building to withstand earthquakes and typhoons and similar
natural occurrences; and

(b) The level of suitability and/or safety of the building for use by school
children and/or students taking into account the availability of sufficient
comfort rooms, proper ventilation and lighting, garbage disposal facilities,
fire safety equipment, etc.;

(c) The repairs, improvements, renovations and/or changes recommended
by the City or Municipal Engineer or Building Official to address noted
defects and/or deficiencies to ensure the safety, suitability and/or
structural integrity of the building for use of school children and/or
students;

The report shall also make a determination of whether or not the building
is suitable for use by school children or students for the purpose it is intended
during the upcoming school year.

The report shall be addressed to the City or Municipal Mayor, copy
furnished the local Superintendent of Schools, the Principal of the school
concerned, the local Department of Education (DepEd) or Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) offices as well as the Sangguniang Panlungsod or
Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Panlalawigan:

SECTION 5. Defects And Deficiencies. - In case defects and/or
deficiencies are noted or reported by the City or Municipal Engineer or the
Building Official, it shall be the duty of the Principal of the school as well as the
local DepEd and/or CHED officials concerned to take the appropriate action to
ensure that the defects and/or deficiencies noted and/or reported are properly
addressed, corrected, repaired and/or rectified at the soonest time possible and
before the beginning of the school year. On the other hand, it shall be the duty of
the City or Municipal Mayor to oversee that the said defects and/or deficiencies
are corrected, repaired and/or rectified before the beginning of the school year.

SECTION 6. Unsuitable, Unfit Or Unsafe Buildings. - \n case the City or
Municipal Engineer or the Building Officials has made a determination that a
school building is unsuitable, unfit or unsafe for use by school children or
students, the same shall not be used until after the necessary repair work has


been undertaken and completed and until the same has received the approval of
the City or Municipal Engineer after re-inspection. In such a case, it shall be the
duty of the Principal concerned, together with the City or Municipal Mayor, the
local DepEd and/or CHED officials and/or the owners of the school in case of
private schools to look for another suitable for the temporary use of the affected
school children and/or students.

SECTION 7. Highest Priority. - Considering the public interest involved,
the annual inspection of all school buildings located within their territorial
jurisdiction shall be the highest priority of City or Municipal Engineers and/or
Building Officials except in case of calamities and/or local or national
emergencies and disasters. Failure of a City or Municipal Engineer or Building
Official to undertake the annual inspection mandated by this Act shall constitute
dereliction of duty and may be a basis for removal from office of the City or
Municipal Engineer or Building Official concerned

The DepEd, CHED and concerned local government unit/s and/or private
institutions and individuals concerned are required to give the highest budgetary
priority to the repairs and/or rectification of defects and deficiencies noted and
reported in the Report issued pursuant to Section 4 hereof.

SECTION 8, Penal Provisions. ~ Any person who refuses to act on the
report and/or recommendations of the City or Municipal Engineer or Building
Official rendered pursuant to Section 4 of this Act shall suffer a penalty of Six (6)
months to Two (2) Years of imprisonment and/or a fine from Ten Thousand
Pesos (P10,000.00) to One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) or both, at
the discretion of the Court plus perpetual disqualification from holding public
office.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act or the
applicability of such provision to any person or circumstance shall be held invalid,
the validity of the other provisions of this Act and the applicability of such
provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive issuances, orders
and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act, or any part
thereof, are hereby repealed, amended and/or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days

after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
newspapers of general circulation:

Approved,