SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
introduced by Representative Rufus B, Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bit vo, 4987

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article 14, Section 10 of the Constitution states that science and technology are
essential for national development and progress. The State shall give priority to research
and development, invention, innovation and their utilization; and to science and technology
education, training and services, It shall support indigenous, appropriate and self-reliant
scientific and technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s productive
system and national life.

Presidential Decree No, 1096, otherwise known as the National Building Code was
enacted to employ up-to-date and modem technical knowledge on building design,
construction, use, occupancy and maintenance. This code regulates the design,
construction, alteration, repair, conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance of agricultural
buildings and structures, and in the issuance of permits thereto by the Local Building
Officials;

In 1998, Republic Act No. 8559, otherwise known as the Philippine Agricultural
Engineering Act of 1998 was enacted to regulate the practice of agricultural engineering in
the country and to reaffirm that “xoo« the State guarantees the delivery of basic and technical
services to accelerate agricultural modemization through adequate and well trained
professional agricultural engineers throughout the country’, This law mandates Agricultural
Engineers to plan, design and supervise the construction, operation and maintenance of
agricultural buildings and structures.

In view of the enactment of R.A. No, 8559, there is a need fo amend some provisions
of P.D. No. 10601 to provide regulations and standards in the design, construction, operation
‘and maintenance of appropriate and cost-effective agricultural buildings and structures and
to conform with the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards.

In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is eamestly sought,

wh EZ
MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES }
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

Hoiise Bul No, 498.7

AN ACT
AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1096,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 302 of Presidential Decree No. 1096, othenwise known as the National
Building Code, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 302. Application for permits. — XXX To be submitted together with such
application are at least five sets of corresponding plans and specifications prepared,
signed and sealed by a duly licensed Architect or Civil Engineer in case of
Architectural and Structural plans; by a registered mechanical engineer in case of
mechanical plans; {,and] by a registered electrical engineer in case of electrical plans;
AND BY A REGISTERED AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER IN CASE OF
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING PLANS AND DESIGNS, except in those cases
exempted or not required by the Building Official under this Code.

SEC 2, Section 308 of Presidential Decree No. 1096, otherwise known as the National
Building Code, is hereby amended to read as follows

“Section 308. Inspection and Supervision of Work, The owner of the Building who is
issued or granted a building permit under this Code shall engage the services of a
duly licensed architect or civil engineer to undertake the full time inspection and
supervision of the construction work, AND IN THE CASE OF AGRICULTURAL
BUILDING, A DULY LICENSED AGRICULTURAL ENGINEEFR. Such architect for],
civil engineer or AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER may or may not be the same architect
[or], civil engineer OR AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER who is responsible for the
design of the building. It is understood however that in either case, the designing
architect or civil engineer is not precluded from conducting inspection of the
construction work to check and determine compliance with the plans and
specifications of the building as submitted. There shall be kept at the jobsite at all
times a logbook wherein the actual progress of construction including tests
conducted, weather conditions and other pertinent data are to be recorded. Upon
completion of the construction, the said licensed architect for), civil engineer OR
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER shall submit the logbook, duly signed and sealed, to
the Building Official. He shall also prepare and submit a Certificate of Completion of
the project stating that the construction of building conforms to the provisions of this
Code as well as with the approved plans and specifications,

SEC. 3. Section 709 of Presidential Decree No. 1096, othenwise known as the National
Building Code, is hereby amend fo read as follows :


“Section 709. Requirements for Other Group Occupancles. Subject to the
provisions of this Code, the Secretary shall promulgate rules and regulations for each
of the other Group Occupancies covering: allowable construction, height, and area:
location on property, exit facilities. light, ventilation, and sanitation; enclosures of
vertical openings: fire extinguishing systems; and special hazards.

ALL PLANS AND DESIGNS OF AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS AND
STRUCTURES SHALL CONFORM TO THE PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURAL
ENGINEERING STANDARDS AS ADOPTED AND PROMULGATED BY THE
BOARD OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING PURSUANT TO R.A. NO. 8559 AND
OTHER PERTINENT LAWS.”

SEC 4. Creation of Agricultural Engineering Section. There shall be an Agricultural
Engineering Section in the Office of the Building Official, the office authorized to enforce the
provision of R.A. No. 8559 and the implementing rules and regulations in the field as well as
the enforcement of orders and decisions made pursuant thereto.

The Head of the Agricultural Engineering Section must be a duly Registered
Agricultural Engineer, a member in good standing of the duly accredited organization of his
profession.

SEC 5. Implementing Rules and Reguletions- The Secretary of the Department of Public
Works and Highways in consultation and coordination with the Board of Agricultural
Engineering and the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers shall promulgate and issue
such rules and regulations and other issuances within ninety (90) days from approval of this
Act as may be necessary to ensure its effective implementation.

SEC 6. Separability Clause. The provisions of this Act are hereby declared separable, and if
any clause, sentence, provision or section hereof, should be declared invalid, such invalidity
shall not affect the other provisions of this Act which can be given force and effect without
the provisions which have been declared invalid.

SEC 7. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders and other administrative
issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
fepealed or modified accordingly.

SEC 8, Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,