FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENA.T~ 
S. No. 
It>67 
/' 
Rll:e~!VH' H\ . ( i/ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to Article II, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution: 
"The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and 
healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature." 
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) deals with the content of interior air that could affect health and 
comfort of building occupants. The IAQ may be compromised by microbial contaminants (mold, 
bacteria), chemicals (such as carbon monoxide, radon), allergens, or any mass or energy stressor 
that can induce health effects. Indoor. air pollutants are associated with many health risks 
including asthma. 
Recent findings have demonstrated that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air 
(albeit with different pollutants). In fact, indoor air is often a greater health hazard than the 
corresponding outdoor setting. Using ventilation to dilute contaminants, filtration, and source 
control are the primary methods for improving indoor air quality in most buildings. 
In accordance with the Constitutional provision above, the National Government must set 
policy directions with regard to indoor air quality. This bill addresses the issue head on. * 
~~ 4h·~~ ~yt~ 
~. 
MIRIAM DEF~'lSOR SANTurO 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN~W 
S,No. 1067 
¥~tf.~;i nfl:[J ~)¥ '. t~j --,,,, 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
".J 
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AN ACT 
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TO PROTECT INDOOR AIR QUALITY 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Definition. As used in this article: 
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A. "Building" means an occupied structure of greater than twenty-five thousand square 
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feet of floor space, using mechanical ventilation providing outdoor air, re-circulated air, or a 
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mixture of outdoor and re-circulated air, excluding a residential structure containing six or fewer 
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dwelling units. 
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B. "Owner" means any individual, partnership, corporation, mortgagee, assignee of 
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rents, receiver, executor, trustee, lessee, or any other person, firm or corporation in control of a 
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building. 
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SECTION 2. Responsibilities of the building owner. 
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A. The owner of a building shall be responsible for developing and maintaining an 
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indoor air quality plan for the building; the plan shall contain the following components: 
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I. A detailed description of the building'S heating, ventilation and air-conditioning 
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system, its operation, and procedures and schedules for necessary maintenance; 
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II. An inventory of toxic substances used in the building, including copies of applicable 
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material safety data sheet; 
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III. A plan detailing modifications and renovation on indoor air quality ventilation and 
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other factors relevant to air quality; 
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IV. Prior to commencing construction or renovation proj ects, a plan to mmlmlze 
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exposure to contaminants and mitigate adverse effects on building occupants during and after 
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construction or renovation; 
, 
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V. A procedure for maintaining and providing access (including inspection and 
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copying) to written records or logs pursuant to paragraph B of this section; and 
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VI. A system to respond to requests for information, investigate and respond to 
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complaints of indoor air quality problems and adverse health effects by occupants consistent 
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with paragraph D of this section. 
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B. The owner shall be responsible for developing and maintaining the following 
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records and logs as part of the indoor air quality plan: 
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I. A written record of maintenance performed on the building'S heating, ventilation, and 
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air-conditioning system; 
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II. A log of pesticide use and application, including copies of applicable material safety 
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data sheets. 
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III. A written record of modifications and renovations to the building, including but not 
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limited to modification of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, construction and 
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modifications of walls and interior space which could affect air flow to building occupants; and 
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IV. A log of complaints of indoor air quality problems and reports of adverse health 
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effects and actions and responses to complaints and reports. 
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C. The owner of a building shall designate a person or group of persons who shall be 
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responsible for coordinating the indoor air quality plan including: 
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I. Operating and maintaining the building's heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning 
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system; 
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II. Maintaining the indoor air quality plan pursuant to paragraph A of this section; 
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developing and maintaining the written records and logs pursuant to paragraph B of this 
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subdivision; and 
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III. Receiving and responding to complaints of indoor air quality problems and requests 
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for information pursuant to paragraph D ofthis section. 
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D. The owner of the building shall post in the lobby of the building, or conspicuously 
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where building occupants have access to it, a notice stating the procedures for making requests 
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and complaints under this paragraph and the name and telephone number of the person or 
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persons designated pursuant to paragraph C of this section. 
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E. A building owner may contract with a management company, lessee or other party 
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responsible for the building's operation and maintenance to carry out the responsibilities 
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enumerated in this section. 
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F. A building owner shall provide building occupants with reasonable access to the 
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indoor quality plan pursuant to paragraph A of this section; provided, however, that a building 
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owner may exclude from that access any information the disclosure of which would pose a 
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security risk. 
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G. Where the owner operates more than one similar building on a contiguous site, the 
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owner may prepare a plan which includes more than one building. 
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SECTION 3. Indoor Air Quality Standards. Within one year after this Act shall take 
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effect, the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Employment, 
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Interior and Local 
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Government, shall adopt regulations establishing standards of ventilation for new and existing 
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buildings. The standards shall take into consideration building arrangement, structure, size, use, 
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age, and occupancy. The Department of Health may establish a procedure where any provision 
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or requirement of the indoor air quality regulations may be varied or modified in cases where 
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strict compliance would entail practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship or would otherwise 
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be unwarranted. Request for variance shall be resolved within sixty days of the date of 
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application unless a longer period is required for good cause shown. 
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SECTION 4. Indoor Air Investigation. Upon receipt of a complaint or complaints 
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excluding complaints in relation to temperature of indoor air quality relating to a building from 
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three or more occupants of the building or, from a tenant of all or part of the building, the 
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building owner shall initiate an investigation ofthe complaint or complaints. The building owner 
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shall respond in writing within thirty days indicating the results of the initial investigation and 
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any corrective actions taken or pending. 
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SECTION 5. Training Course. The Department of Health, in consultation with the 
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Department of Labor, and nationally recognized societies of industrial hygiene, fire prevention 
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and heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning, shall model courses in the operation and 
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maintenance of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. The Secretary of Health shall 
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have authority to approve programs in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning operation and 
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maintenance and shall maintain a list of approved programs, which shall be made available to 
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interested parties upon request. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
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thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
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affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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