REPRESEN
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

* TIME 4:43 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

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House Bill No. 4837

Introduced by Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers

AN ACT REQUIRING ALL NEW RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL BUILDINGS
IN THE PHILIPPINES TO INSTALL RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM, AND PROVIDING
PENALTIES THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rainwater collection is the practice of accumulation and storage of rainwater for later
use. This practice helps conserve water and save money. It is also beneficial to our
environment as it reduces stormwater runoff which carries debris and other pollutants that
can cause stress on local waterways and sewerage systems, thereby improve water quality in
lakes and streams.

The concept is not new in the Philippines, particularly in rural areas with limited water
supply, where pipes or diverters connected to big barrels are used to collect and store
rainwater.

Urban areas, however, put little to no emphasis on rainwater collection due to the
presence of service companies like Maynilad and Manila Water that provide stable and
abundant water supply.

But as water levels of Angat Dam continue to decrease and cause water service
interruptions, it is one’s best interest to establish a sustainable rainwater supply system.

Lastly, rainwater collection will help mitigate the country's flooding problems brought
about by severe weather conditions due to climate change.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earne

RECEIVED Z

mi

DATE September 14, 2022

*



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4837.

Introduced by Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers

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 “Rainwater Collection Act of 2022.”

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. - For purposes of this Act, the term:

a. Rainwater shall mean water that falls on a roof or other hard, impervious non-
pedestrian, non-vehicular surface and is captured, filtered and stored.

b. Rainwater collection shall mean 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) shall mean a facility designed to capture, retain,
and store rainwater flowing off a building, parking lot, or any other manmade,
impervious surface, for subsequent onsite use;

d. Institutional building shall mean 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 meter 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 Housing
and Land use Regulatory Board (HLURB) 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 sytem, 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 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 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 who violates Section 4 and Section 7 of this
Act, or any government officer or employees who 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 (P'10,000.00) 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 Depatrtment of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH), in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local
Government, the Chief Executive of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), and
the Administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration, shall promulgate the rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the 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.

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 Clause. — The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.