SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. NO.41..O 
'13 
JUl -3 P6 :29 
Introduced by SENATOR FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. 
Explanatory Note 
Since 1987, the United Nations, through the World Commission on 
Environment and Development or the "Brundtland Commission", has 
formulated and advocated "sustainable development" as a guiding 
principle in the policy-making and development of nations. The United 
Nations has defined "sustainable development" as the "development 
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of 
future generations to meet their own needs." (Report of the World 
Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future, June 
1987) It has argued that the environment and development are 
inseparable. In fact, it has posited that economic development. social 
development, and environmental protection are the "interdependent 
and 
mutually 
reinforcing 
pillars 
of 
sustainable 
development." 
(Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, World I Summit 
on Sustainable ·Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, September 
2002) 
Buildings are human-made structures that serve essential purposes 
for humankind: shelter, protection and convenience. Unfortunately, in 
spite of the recognized beneficial purposes, these human shelters also 
simultaneously pose significant threats to the environment and health. In 
particular, buildings directly or indirectly atfect land use, energy use, water 
consumption, materials usage, waste production, outdoor and indoor air 
quality, among others. (Buildings and their Impact on the Environment: A 
Statistical Summary, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 
Revised 22 April 2009, [www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/gbstats.pdf]) 
We have to make our buildings sustainable. The building sector 
alone accounts for "30-40% 01 globol energy usage and global 
greenhouse gas emissions". Thus, it is indeed "one of the areas with the 
biggest potential gains for having smarter environmental and economic 
strategies and applications." (Philippine Green Building Council, National 
Secretariat, 11 August 2011, [http://www.philgbc.org/newsroom/media-
releases/2-green-convergence-buildings-information-technologiesJ) If left 
unchecked, our buildings could greatly contribute to the deterioration of 
our environment. far outweighing their intended benefits to humankind. 


"Green building" is "the practice of (1) increasing the efficiency 
with which buildings and their sites use energy, water, and materials, and 
(2) reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, 
through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and 
removal-the complete building life cycle." While the "green building" 
movement may have originated from the energy crisis in the United States 
in the 1970s, as a "holistic approach in which energy remains a critical 
component", green building now considers "other environmental impacts 
as they relate to, sustainability. Thus, green building requires an integrated 
design approach x x x," "Truly sustainable design recognizes the 
environmental, economic, and social aspects of building." (The Federal 
Commitment to Green Building: Experiences and Expectations, United 
States 
Office 
of 
the 
Federal 
Environmental 
Executive, 
[www.ofee.gov/Resources/GuidanceJeporfs/GuidanceJeporfs_archives 
/fgb Jeport.pdf]) 
With the increasing global public awareness about the effects of 
global warming and climate change, nations have begun to adopt 
comprehensive 
measures 
to counterbalance such 
ill-effects. 
The 
development of national green building laws and regulations is one such 
measure. Countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Asian 
nations such as Singapore, Japan, Hongkong, Thailand, and Vietnam 
have all developed their own green building regulations. Alongside the 
development of these laws, these countries have also implemented green 
building rating systems with which to gauge compliance by developers, 
contractors, and construction companies with the green building laws in 
force, such as the United States' LEED; the UK's BREEAM, Australia's Green 
Star, Japan's CASBEE, Singapore's Green Mark, Hongkong's BEAM Plus, 
Thailand's TREES, and Vietnam's LOTUS. Unfortunately, even in the face of 
the tremendous global issue of climate change and global warming, the 
Philippines still has not adopted and enforced its own green building 
standards and rating system. 
Precisely, this legislative measure seeks to attune Philippines to the 
rising 
global 
standard 
in 
sustainable 
buildings 
and 
construction 
developments, not only by creating green building standards and rating 
system. Moreover, this bill seeks to incentivize builders and owners by way 
of tax breaks and other benefits in exchange for their compliance with 
the said green building standards. 
Indeed, the Philippines has in place laws and regulations prescribing 
minimum standards and requirements in the construction of buildings, 
such as the National Building Code, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Actr and 
the like. However, "green building" strategies essentially adopt a "beyond 
code" approach and aim to push the envelope further by, inviting 
compliance beyond the traditional building regulations and requirem~nts. 
In view of thereof. the passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
FERDINAN 
R. MARCOS, JR 


, . 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
SENATE BILL NO, 410 
., J. 
~etl/ltl' 
t~Ht;r uf tile l~r("ft-tl1r~ 
'13 
JUL -3 P6 :29 
-, ~ '--
__________________________________________ ~,I~'-------------
'\ It", r' 
Introduced by Senator FERDINAND R. MARCOS. JR. 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL GREEN BUILDING CODE AND 
RATING SYSTEM. AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
the Philippines in Congress Assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as. "The Philippine Green 
Building Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies. - The State hereby affirms the 
state policies enshrined in the Constitution and in various national laws. 
such as but not limited to the following: 
a) Protection and promotion of the people's right to health and to a 
balanced and healthful ecology. 
b) Primary focus on pollution prevention rather than on control and 
providing for a comprehensive management program for air 
pollution. 
c) Safeguarding of life. health. property. and public welfare. consistent 
with the sound principles of environmental management and 
control: and to this end, providing for all buildings and structures an 
expanded framework of standards and requirements to regulate 
and control their design, construction, use, occupancy. repair and 
maintenance, 
d) Promotion and pursuit of United Nations' principle and policy of 
sustainable development. 
e) Promotion and encouraqemeni of commercial and industrial 
buildings that me erwironmeni friendly and energy-efficient, 
f) Promotion and encouragement of cooperation and self-regulation 
among citizens and industries through the application of fiscal 
incentives and promotion ot the role of private industrial enterprises 
in shaping its regulatory profile within the acceptable boundaries of 
public health and environment. 


g) Creation, 
development, 
maintencmce 
and 
improvement of 
conditions under which man and nature can thrive in productive 
and enjoyable harmony with each other; fulfillment of the social, 
economic. and 
other requirements 
of 
present 
and 
future 
generations of Filipinos; and insuring the attainment. of an 
environmental quality that is conducive to a life of dignity and well-
being. 
h) Recognition and fulfillment of the responsibilities of each generation 
as trustee and guardian of the environment for succeeding 
generations; assuring the people of a safe, decent, healthful, 
productive and aesthetic environment; encouragement of the 
widest exploitation of the environment without degrading it, or 
endangering human life, health and safety or creating conditions 
adverse to agriculture, commerce and industry; attainment of a 
rational and orderly balance between population and resource 
use; and improvement of the utilization of renewable and non-
renewable resources. 
SECTION 3. Definition of "Green Building". -
1) The practice of 
increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, 
water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health 
and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, 
operation, maintenance, and demolition. 
2) The promotion and practice of sustainable site development, 
improvement of indoor air quality, use of efficient energy, and 
improvement of water management, utilization of green materials, and 
the preservation of cultural heritage. 
3) A building, whether commercial or non-commercial, whose siting, 
design, construction, retrofitting, renovation, use and reuse are both 
resource-efficient and ecologically efficient. For purposes ot determining 
whether a building is resource-efficient and ecologically efficient, full 
compliance with relevant green building laws and regulations shall be 
considered in the following aspects: 
a) Planning and design; 
b) Energy efficiency; 
c) Water efficiency and conservation; 
d) Material conservation and resource efficiency; and 
e) Environment quality. 
SECTION 4. Green building laws and regulations. - For purposes of 
this Act, green building laws, rules and regulations shall cover laws, rules 
and regUlations, and other codes and regulations referenced therein, 
whose primary aim is the protection and safeguarding of life, health, 
public welfare, and the environment, such as but not limited to the 
following: 


a) National land use rules and regulations; 
b) National Building Code (Presidential Decree No.1 096); 
c) National Structural Code; 
d) Philippine Environmental Code (Presidential Decree No. 1152); 
e) Philippine Environmental Policy (Presidential Decree No. 1151); 
f) Environmental Impact Statement System (Presidential Decree No. 
1586); 
g) Code of Sanitation of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 856); 
h) Philippine Electrical Code; 
i) 
Revised National Plumbing Code of 1999; 
j) 
Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers Code; 
k) Fire Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 9541); 
I) 
Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act No. 8749); 
m) Water Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No: 1067); 
n) National Water Crisis Act (Republic Act No. 8041); 
0) Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9275); 
p) Department of Energy (DOE) Guidelines on Energy Conserving 
Designs of Buildings. 
SEcrlON 5. Fiscal Incentives. - 1) Subject to Sections 6, 7, 8, and 9 of 
this Act, individuals, whether self-employed or earning cornpensation 
income, and juridical persons engaged in business who shall own, operate 
and maintain certified green buildings shall be entitled to an annual tax 
deduction of Two Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP2,500.00) from their 
gross income. 
2) Certified green buildings shall be entitled to a five percent (5%) 
discount of the base value of their annual real property tax assessments 
from the local government units in which they are located. 
3) Applications for permits and certificates under National Building 
Code for the construction and renovation of green buildings shall be 
entitled to a five percent (5%) discount from the appropriate Office of 
Building Official. 
SECTION 6. Non-Fiscal Incentives. - 1) Without prejudice to the 
foregoing section, registrations, issuances of permits and certificates, 
payrnents of taxes, fees and other assessments, and other related 
government transactions involving certified green buildings sholl enjoy 
priority and shall be processed cmd handled in special or priority lanes 
made for the purpose in the appropriate government agencies and 
offices. 
SECTION 7. Substantiation RequirHments. - For purposes of this Act, 
the qualified persons, com ponies, institutions desiring to avail of the 
benefits of this Act shall substantiate their claim for incentives with 
sufficient evidence, such as compliance certifications, inspection reports, 
checklists, punchlists and the like, evaluation sheets, self-assessment 
affidavits, or other adequate records. 


SECTION 8. Philippine Green Uul!d1ng Cornmm~~e; Green Building 
Rating and Certification System. - For purposes of determining compliance 
with relevant green building laws, rules and regulations, there shall be 
adopted and implemented a Green Building Rating and Certification 
System that shall be administered by the Philippine Green Building 
Committee, which shall be an independent third-party monitoring and 
verification 
body to be composed 
of representatives 
from 
the 
Department of Energy, 
Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways, and from the 
private sector in the fields of business, architecture, engineering, 
construction, environment protection and climate change mitigation. 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) 
days from effectivity of this Act. the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources, Department of Energy, Department of Public Works 
and Highways shall jointly promUlgate the rules and regulations to 
effectively implement and monitor the Green Building Rating and 
Certification System. Within the same period, the Bureau of Intemal 
Revenue shall promUlgate the rules and regulations to effectively 
implement and monitor the tax incentives under this Act. 
SECTION 10. 
Separability Clause. - The provisions of this Act are 
hereby declared to be separable and if any clause, sentence, provision 
or section of this Act or its application thereof to any person or 
circumstance should, for any reason, be held invalid or unconstitutional, 
such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the other provisions or 
application of this Act which can be given force and effect. 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. -
All laws, decrees, charters, 
executive 
orders, 
administrative 
orders, 
proclamations, 
rules 
and 
regulations, or parts thereof insofar as they are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after completion of publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper 
of general circulation. 
Approved,