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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session  
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Richard I. Gomez, DPA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Water, as pointed out once by the United Nations Secretary General, is the most precious 
common good and needs to be at the center of global political agenda. It was further emphasized 
that all of humanity’s hopes for the future depend, in some way, on charting a new science-based 
course to bring the water action agenda to life. 
We need to ensure access to safe water not only for drinking but for sanitation and other 
purposes as well. Globally, the water issue is even becoming a source of potential conflict between 
or among nations sharing limited water resources. 
This bill aims to require all new residential, commercial and institutional buildings in the 
country to install rainwater collection systems. Hopefully, this would alleviate our people’s 
security for this most vital resource which is considered  humanity’s “lifeblood.” 
In view of the foregoing, the early approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RICHARD I. GOMEZ, DPA
August 26, 2025
4:17 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session  
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Richard I. Gomez, DPA 
AN ACT REQUIRING ALL NEW RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND 
INSTITUTIONAL BUILDINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES TO INSTALL RAINWATER 
COLLECTION SYSTEM, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Rainwater Collection Act." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and advance 
the rights of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm 
and harmony of nature. Pursuant thereto, the State shall mandate the installation of 
rainwater collection systems to promote sufficient water supply in times of calamities or 
weather disturbances brought about by climate change and to reduce the flooding 
problems in the country. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - Under this Act: 
a. Rainwater refers to water that falls on a roof or other hard, impervious non- 
pedestrian, non-vehicular surface and is captured, filtered and stored.
b. Rainwater collection refers to the capture, diversion and storage of rainwater
for a number of different purposes including, but not limited to, landscape
irrigation;
c. Rainwater collection system {RCS) refers to a facility designed to capture,
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retain, and store rainwater flowing off a building, parking lot, or any other 
man made, impervious surface, for subsequent onsite use; 
 
d. Institutional building refers to a civic building that can be funded privately or 
by the government. It also refers to any structure that fulfills a role related to 
healthcare, education, recreation, or public works. It shall include city, 
municipal and barangay halls, court houses, judicial centers, executive and 
legislative buildings, police headquarters, detention facilities, military bases, 
police and fire stations, transportation terminals, schools and universities, 
museums, art galleries, cultural centers and the like. 
 
SEC. 4. Rainwater Collection System. - The owner or developer of a new 
residential, commercial and institutional building shall include in its building plan a 
rainwater collection system consistent with the purpose of this Act. 
 
A Rainwater Collection System (RCS) installed pursuant to this section shall not 
be made with toxic materials and shall be designed, constructed, and maintained in such 
a way as to exclude mosquitoes and other contaminants. The size of the container for the 
rainwater collection system shall be at least 10 cubic meters and its operation and 
maintenance shall be the sole responsibility of the owner or possessor of the building. 
 
The rainwater collected by rainwater collection system may be used for non-
potable and suitable purposes, such as cleaning, gardening and air-cooling processes. 
 
SEC. 5. Design/Plan Approval. - The local government units (LGUs) and the 
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) shall require rain 
water collection facility/system to be incorporated in the design or plan of all new 
residential, commercial and institutional buildings; otherwise such building shall not be 
approved for construction by the concerned agency. 
 
SEC. 6. Issuance of Building Permit. - If the design of a new residential, 
commercial and institutional building does not provide for a rainwater collection system, 
the LGU concerned shall deny the application for issuance of a building permit for such 
building. 
 
SEC. 7. Rainwater Treatment Facility To New Government Institutional 
Buildings and Large Commercial Establishments. - The Department of Public Works 
and Highways (DPWH), through its attached agencies, shall install a rainwater treatment 
facility to all new government institutional buildings. It shall supervise the filtration and 


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purification processes to ensure that the rainwater is safe for drinking. 
 
The rainwater treatment facility or device shall be regularly monitored and 
evaluated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through the 
LGUs concerned. 
 
For all new private institutional buildings such as private schools and universities, 
including large commercial establishments like malls, supermarkets and companies, they 
are mandated to install rainwater filtration facilities connected to the rainwater collection 
systems so that the rainwater can be used as potable water. 
 
SEC. 8. Penalties. - The owner or developer of a new residential, commercial 
and institutional building who fails to install a rainwater collection system in violation of 
Section 4 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of not less than One Hundred Thousand 
Pesos (P100,000.00), but not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) for 
every year of non-compliance. 
 
The same penalty shall be applied to those who fail to install a rainwater treatment 
facility in violation of the third paragraph of Section 7 of this Act. 
 
The head of the government institution that violates Section 4 and Section 7 of 
this Act, or any government officer or employees that issues permits in violation of this 
Act shall suffer the penalty of suspension of not less than ten (10) days but not more than 
one hundred eighty (180) days after due notice and hearing in an appropriate 
administrative proceeding. 
 
SEC. 9. Tax Incentives. - To encourage the public to promote the installation of 
rainwater collection system, the owner of an existing residential or commercial building 
who install a rainwater collection system in his/her property shall be entitled to a tax 
credit of 10% but not exceeding Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) of the total real 
property tax of the said property for a period of two (2) years. 
 
SEC. 10. Issuance of Certification. - The LGU concerned through its engineering 
office, after proper inspection, shall issue a certification that the owner of an existing 
residential and commercial building has installed a rainwater collection system in his/her 
property. Such certification can be used as proof for tax credit purposes. 
 
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - To ensure the effective 
implementation of this Act, the Secretary of the DPWH, in coordination with the 


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Secretary of the DILG, the Secretary of the DHSUD, and the Administrator of the 
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration 
(PAGASA), shall promulgate the rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from its 
effectivity. 
 
The above-mentioned regulations shall include guidelines for the design, 
construction, installation, materials, site-selection and planning, including the 
maintenance of the rainwater collections system and the rainwater treatment facility. 
 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, circulars, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. - The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,