Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8867

Introduced by REP. BAYANI F, FERNANDO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Facing multiple hazards such as tropical storms, floods, landslides, fires, and
earthquakes, it is urgent for the Philippines to update our building regulations and standards in
order to better safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, consistent with principles of
sustainable development. We need resilient, and sustainable or green, houses, buildings, and
other structures: from the simplest to the most special buildings.

The building permit processes have to be streamlined, distinguishing simple buildings
from special buildings with commensurate requirements, thus enhancing ease of doing business
while promoting safety and security.

Various agencies implementing different laws and various sectors need to coordinate
and harmonize the regulations, standards, and practices. In this regard, building regulations and
road regulations also intersect in terms of traffic impact and parking requirements, which need
to be equally addressed by local building officials. A new inter-agency, multi-sectoral council
is urgently needed to carry out the task of updating and coordinating the building regulations
and standards every five (5) years.

The implementing offices need to be capacitated, and the general public empowered,
to take care of both new and old buildings, as the demands by population continue to increase
while resources remain limited. Responsibilities have to be equitably shared between those
enforcing and those complying with the building law.

Resilient buildings are indeed key to resilient Filipino communities. We cannot afford
to wait for another catastrophic disaster before we act. We cannot let day-to-day dysfunction
of many buildings to multiply the small but chronic disasters. We need the new up-to-date
Philippine Building Act.

For the foregoing reasons, the approval of this B

Ny
fF. FERNANDO
Wict, Marikina City

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

8867
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE BAYANI F, FERNANDO

AN ACT
REGULATING THE PLANNING, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OCCUPANCY, AND
MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS, ENACTING A NEW
BUILDING ACT, THEREBY REPEALING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1096, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Building Act of 2019.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles and Policies. The State shall safeguard life, health, property, and
public welfare, consistent with principles of sustainable development. Towards this end, it shall be the
policy of the State to provide for all buildings and structures, a framework of minimum standards and
requirements, mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and management, to regulate and control their
location, siting, planning, design, construction, occupancy, and maintenance. In pursuit of these
policies, the State shall institutionalize a system that will provide for periodic review and flexible
mechanisms in the updating of regulations and standards and will strengthen the participation of
relevant stakeholders, taking into account the importance of allowing for continuing innovation in
building design and construction.

SEC. 3. Objectives of the Act. The objectives of this Act are as follows:

(a) To provide for the effective regulation of planning, design, construction, occupancy, and
maintenance of buildings and structures, the establishment of a permitting process based on their
classifications, and the setting of reference standards to:

(1) Safeguard life and protect people from injury;

(2) Ensure the health and well-being of the people who use them, without impinging on the
safety of the general public or endangering the environment;

(3) Protect property from physical damage; and

(4) Reduce and manage hazards, exposures, and vulnerabilities, thereby minimizing disaster
tisk;

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(b) To promote the accountability of relevant stakeholders in ensuring enforcement of and
compliance with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards; and

(c) To establish sustainability standards for government-owned buildings, mitigating any negative
environmental, economic, and social impacts.

SEC. 4. Scope and Application. This Act shall cover all public and private buildings and structures,

and their location, siting, planning, design, materials, construction, use, occupancy, maintenance,

addition, alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, relocation, repair, retrofit, and demolition,

SEC. 5. Interpretation. Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to prevent local government units,
pursuant to local autonomy, from enacting local ordinances relating to building or structure and their
location, siting, and planning that will better safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare,
consistent with the objectives of this Act. Such local ordinances by local government units of
contiguous jurisdictions shall be harmonized for purposes of buildings that may straddle territories of
local government units.

Before such local ordinance shall take effect, concurrence by the National Building Official shall be
required through the review process specified in the promulgated rules and regulations.

Every such local ordinance shall be published in manners that are clear to all stakeholders, through
measures that include but are not limited to those provided in Section 69 of this Act.

SEC. 6. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act:

(a) “Accredited Certifier" refers to a person possessing experience and other qualifications of a
Building Professional, and accredited by the Office of the National Building Official to issue
certificates to confirm that a building or structure that is more than 15 years of age meets the
requirements of Chapter VII of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards as to
structural stability and fire safety construction;

(b) “Accredited Inspector” refers to a person possessing experience and other qualifications of a
Building Professional, and accredited by the Office of the National Building Official whose
service is engaged by the Local Building Official to inspect buildings or structures in accordance
with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(c) “Accredited Structural Peer Reviewer” refers to a person possessing experience and other
qualifications of a Building Professional, and accredited by the Office of the National Building
Official to provide independent verification that the structural design of a proposed or new
building or structure complies with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(d) “Accredited Testing Laboratory” refers to an establishment or institution accredited by the
Office of the National Building Official to perform tests to determine if the building materials
and components used in the construction of a building or structure comply with Chapter VI of
this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(e) “Addition” refers to any construction which increases the height and/or floor area of an existing
building or structure;

(f) “Alteration” refers to any construction in an existing building or structure involving changes in
the materials used, partitioning, location or size of openings, structural parts, existing utilities,
and/or equipment but does not increase the building height nor floor area;

(g) “Ancillary Structure” refers to a structure intended to provide support to main buildings or
structures which may include: bank and records vaults; swimming pools; firewalls separate from

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the building or structure; towers; silos, smokestacks; chimneys; commercial or industrial fixed
ovens; industrial kilns or furnaces; water or waste treatment tanks; septic vaults; concrete and
steel tanks; booths, kiosks, and stages; tombs, mausoleums, and niches; and similar structures;
“Build Back Better” refers to planning, based on the evolving or evolved disaster risks and ahead
of disasters, to finance, design, and build after a disaster or crisis with consideration of the need
to further strengthen disaster preparedness for response, take action in anticipation of events,
and ensure capacities are in place for effective response, recovery, and reconstruction;
“Building” refers to any temporary or permanent structure, anchored to the ground, for the
support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, machinery, or chattels;
“Building Contractor” refers to a person duly registered and licensed by the Philippine
Contractors Accreditation Board whose proposal has been accepted and to whom was awarded
the contract to execute the construction; for this purpose, “contract” means an agreement,
regardless of titles such as prime contract, subcontract, or deed of assignment;
“Building Owner” refers to a person who orders construction work for a building or structure by
contract; or a person undertaking one’s own construction without engaging a Building
Contractor therefor, as owner-builder, or a person holding the legal right of possession or title
to a building or structure;
“Building Professional” refers to a person engaged in the design, construction, or inspection of
a building or structure, who is duly registered and licensed by the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) to provide such services;
“Building Site” refers to the lot, which is described by technical descriptions delineating
boundaries of the property to be developed, over which the Building Owner has a title or legal
right to build; for design purposes, the term shall also cover areas and spaces around the lot, the
conditions of which bear on the operability and safety of the building or structure;
“Construction” refers to any and all on-site work including but not limited to preparation,
excavation, foundation, and assembly or installation of components, utilities, machinery, and
equipment of building or structure;
“Conversion” refers to a change in the use or occupancy of an existing building or structure or
any portion’s thereof to another occupancy group or subgroup that has different requirements;
“Demolition” refers to the systematic dismantling, destruction, or removal of a building or
structure, in whole or in part;
“Department” means the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);
"Exposure" refers to people, property, systems, or other elements present in hazard zones that
are thereby subject to potential losses, or to the degree to which the elements at risk are likely to
experience hazard events of different magnitudes;
“Fire-Resistive Rating” refers to the degree to which a building material or type of construction
can withstand or contain fire as determined by generally recognized and accepted testing
methods;
“Hazard” refers to a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity, or condition that may
cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihood and
services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage;
“Hazard Zone” refers to an area identified in generally recognized and accepted hazard maps as
exposed to natural hazards, such as floods, wind storms, storm surges, landslides, volcanic
eruptions, and earthquakes;
“Innovative Construction Technology” refers to a construction technology that is emerging or
being reintroduced locally or nationally in the field of construction, with corresponding evidence
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of acceptable performance from laboratory tests, field tests, and/or analytical studies to comply
with Chapter V and Chapter VI of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;
“Locational Clearance” refers to the document issued by the planning and development officer
of the local government unit certifying that the proposed construction has the appropriate traffic
impact assessment (TIA), is located in an appropriate zone, and does not violate the
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), any zoning ordinance or regulation of the concerned
local government unit, nor other applicable laws, ordinances or regulations, which document is
submitted to the Local Building Official in support of an application for a permit;
“Permit” refers to any of the permits that may be issued by the Local Building Official as set
forth in this Act;
“Reference Standards” refers to technical standards that the National Building Official
promulgates through rules and regulations in administering and enforcing this Act;
“Rehabilitation” refers to the act or process of making possible a compatible use for an existing
building or structure through repair and/or alteration while preserving those portions or features
which convey its acknowledged heritage significance;
“Relocation” refers to the transfer of an existing building or structure or portion/s thereof from
original location or position to another, either within the same site or to a different one;
“Renovation” refers to any physical change made on an existing building or structure to increase
the value or improve the quality and/or aesthetics, without addition to building height or floor
area, nor alteration of structural parts;
“Repair” refers to remedial work done on any damaged or deteriorated portion/s of an existing
building or structure to restore its original condition;
“Retrofit” refers to the construction of any new element or system, or the alteration of any
element or system, required to bring an existing building or structure, or portion thereof, into
conformance with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;
“Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways;
“Special Site” refers to a site that requires special rules and regulations to mitigate potential
adverse impacts of the site conditions;
“Structure” refers to that which is built or constructed, an edifice, or building of any kind, or any
piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner,
but shall not include streets, highways, bridges and viaducts, railroads, canals, river and shore
improvements, dry docks, dams, irrigation, flood protection, tunnels, transmission towers and
lines, and structures regulated by other national laws or competent national agencies;
“Traditional Indigenous Family Dwelling” refers to a residential building or structure intended
for the use and occupancy by the family of the owner only and constructed with native or local
materials such as nipa, cogon, bamboo, log, lumber, or stone, the estimated total cost of which
does not exceed the limit prescribed by the National Building Official through rules and
regulations;
"Vulnerability" refers to the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset
that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard; vulnerability may arise from various
physical, social, economic, and environmental factors such as poor design and construction of
buildings, inadequate protection of assets, lack of public information and awareness, limited
recognition of risks and preparedness measures, and disregard for sound environmental
management; and

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(ii) “Zoning” refers to the division of a city or municipality into zones or sub-zones and overlay
zones according to present and potential uses of land to maximize, regulate, and direct their use
and development in accordance with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)

Additional definitions shall be included with the implementing rules and regulations and with the
reference standards; provided, that these shall be non-redundant to, non-contradictory with, and only
supplementary to, the definitions as used in this Act.

CHAPTER II
CLASSIFICATION OF BILDINGS

SEC. 7. Classification System. A system of classification of buildings and structures in the Philippines
as to: (a) type of construction according to fire resistivity; (b) use or occupancy; and (c) required
permitting process, is hereby adopted.

SEC. 8. Buildings Classified by Type of Construction According to Fire Resistivity. The building or
structure shall be classified according to fire resistivity and fire ratings consistent with Republic Act
No. 9514, or the Fire Code of the Philippines, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, in
consideration of the combination of features of fire safety constructions including but not limited to
walls, barriers, doors, windows, vents, means of egress, and treatment of building components with
flame retardant chemicals,

SEC. 9, Buildings Classified According to Use or Occupancy. The building or structure shall be
identified based on the use or occupancy and shall be classified as follows:

Group A, Assembly occupancies shall include all buildings and structures, or portions thereof, used
for gathering together of 50 or more persons for any purpose, including but not limited to deliberation,
worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, and instruction;

Group B, Business occupancies are those used for the transaction of business other than those covered
under Group M, Mercantile, including the keeping of accounts and records and similar purposes for
office, professional, or service-type transactions;

Group D, Disaster response occupancies are those permanent centers for refuge and emergency
evacuation and emergency operation;

Group E, Educational occupancies shall include buildings, or portions thereof, used for the gathering
of group of six (6) or more persons for purposes of instruction;

Group F, Factory and Industrial occupancies are those used for operations including, but not limited
to, product processing, fabricating, manufacturing, assembling and disassembling, mixing, packaging,
finishing or decorating, repairing, and material recovery;

Group |, Institutional occupancies are those used to house one or more persons under varied degrees
of restraint or security where such occupants are mostly incapable of self-preservation because of

security measures not under the occupants’ control (ID), or government buildings and quarters
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rendering civic or public assistance and peace and order (IG), or those in which care or supervision is
provided to persons who are mostly incapable of self-preservation without physical assistance because
of age, or physical or mental disability (IH);

Group M, Mercantile occupancies are those used for the display and sale of merchandise, and involves
stocks of goods, wares, and merchandise incidental to such purposes and accessible to the public;

Group R, Residential occupancies are those in which sleeping accommodations are provided for
normal residential or dwelling purposes and include all buildings designed to provide sleeping
accommodations, for example the subgroups of socialized (RS) and economic (RE) housing covered
by Batas Pambansa Big, 220;

Group S, Storage occupancies include all buildings or structures utilized primarily for the storage or
sheltering of goods, merchandise, products, vehicles, or animals;

Group U, Utilities and Miscellaneous occupancies are those with an ancillary character such as, but
not limited to, those enumerated in Section 6 (g) Ancillary Structure, or those which cannot be properly
classified in any of the other occupancy groups in this Section, such as, but not limited to billboards
and commercial signboards; and

Group Z, High-Hazard occupancies mean those with storage and handling of flammable, highly
combustible, or other materials that would constitute a physical or health hazard, in quantities in excess
of those allowed by regulations.

The National Building Official may determine, through rules and regulations, subgroups within Group
A to Z. Any other use or occupancy not mentioned specifically under this Section, or about which
there is any question, shall, upon approval by the National Building Official, be included in the group
which it most nearly resembles based on the associated hazard or risk to life, health, property, and
public welfare.

In addition to permanent centers for refuge and evacuation as in Group D, any building, structure, or
portion thereof may be designated as a temporary evacuation center provided it complies with the
specific rules and regulations promulgated by the National Building Official

When a building or structure is of mixed occupancy or used for more than one occupancy, the whole
building or structure shall be subject to the most restrictive requirement pertaining to any of the
occupancy groups found therein, except as otherwise provided in applicable rules and regulations

For each group or subgroup of use or occupancy, the National Building Official shall promulgate
specific rules and regulations and reference standards in accordance with this Act.

SEC. 10. Buildings Classified According to Required Permitting Process. Buildings and structures
shall be classified based on the required permitting process as follows:

(a) “Deemed-to-Satisfy Structures” or “Class P1 Structures” are buildings or structures belonging to
subgroup/s under Group R, Residential, either traditional indigenous family dwellings regardless
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of number of floors, or individually constructed dwellings for up to three (3) families, with
maximum total gross floor area limit for each case as prescribed by the National Building Official
via rules and regulations; but shall exclude such structures under any government-approved mass
housing project developed by the government, non-government organization, or private developer.
‘These Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1 Structures shall comply with Simplified Reference Standards
as prescribed by the National Building Official under a simplified permitting process.

(b) “Special Structures” or “Class P3 Structures” are buildings or structures that are distinguished by
special physical attributes in terms of size, span, or form, and/or by nature of use or occupancy.
These structures shall be any of the following:

(1) buildings and other structures exceeding 75 meters in height or a higher height threshold
as prescribed based on rules and regulations by the National Building Official;

(2) long span structures exceeding 30 meters in span or a longer span threshold as prescribed
based on rules and regulations by the National Building Official;

(3) buildings and other structures with two (2) or more floor levels, and exceeding 10,000
square meters of gross floor area in any single floor level;

(4) buildings and other structures with gross floor area exceeding 40,000 square meters;

(5) _ facilities belonging to Group D, Disaster response;

(6) hospitals belonging to a subgroup under Group I, Institutional, that need to provide higher
than the minimum level of services in terms of functional capacity as classified by
‘competent national agency on healthcare facilities;

(7) facilities belonging to Group Z, High-Hazard;

(8) non-conventional structures or structures that have non-regular structural form

(9) buildings and other structures using very advanced structural calculation method in design;
and

(10) buildings and structures using innovative construction technology.

Accordingly, the permitting process for these Special or Class P3 Structures shall require a peer
review of the structural stability.

For buildings and structures that are non-conventional, using very advanced structural calculation
method in design, or using innovative construction technology, the peer review shall be conducted
by an Accredited Structural Peer Reviewer duly qualified for such specific sub-classes,
respectively. Provided, that prior certification for innovative construction technology according to
Section 29 of this Act shall be deemed to satisfy the requirement of structural peer review under
‘sub-class (10) in this Section.

The act of reviewing does not pass on the responsibility and the liability of the Building
Professional for design to the Accredited Structural Peer Reviewer on the structural integrity of the
building, without prejudice to administrative charges under applicable professional regulations.
Provided, that should the Building Owner opt, under applicable laws and professional regulations,
to lawfully disengage the previously engaged Building Professional for design and to engage as
new Building Professional for design an Accredited Structural Peer Reviewer who has been
previously engaged as peer reviewer according to this Section, a new independent Accredited Peer
Reviewer shall be required.

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(c) “Regular Structures” or “Class P2 Structures” are buildings or structures that do not fall under
either one of the classifications of Deemed-to-Satisfy Structures and Special Structures. Regular
Structures shall require the regular permitting process.

SEC. 11, Buildings and Structures. For purposes of this Act, structures shall include buildings,
ancillary structures, and other structures as defined in this Act.

SEC. 12. Requirements for Each Type of Construction According to Fire Resistivity. The National
Building Official shall prescribe standards for each type of construction according to fire resistivity as
allowed under this Act correspondingly for each group or subgroup of use or occupancy, and
promulgate rules and regulations and reference standards therefor, in general terms of structural
system, exterior walls and openings, interior walls and enclosures, floors, exits and stairs construction,
and roofs, among other elements

SEC. 13. Changes in Use or Occupancy and’or Type of Construction According to Fire Resistivity.
No change shall be made in the use or occupancy and/or type of construction according to fire
resistivity of any building or structure which would place the building or structure in a different
occupancy group or different type of construction, unless such building or structure is made to comply
with the requirements for the new occupancy group or type of construction; provided, that the change
may be approved by the Local Building Official upon determination that the new use or occupancy
and/or type of construction poses less risk to life, health, property, and public welfare, according to
tules and regulations promulgated by the National Building Official.

CHAPTER III
LOCATION, SITING, AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 14. General Requirements for Location, Siting, and Zoning. The site upon which will be
constructed any building or structure shall be sanitary, hygienic, and accessible, and shall not pose
high hazard for the intended use or occupancy, as determined by competent and appropriate authorities
and certified through a locational clearance and other clearance/s or certificate/s as prescribed by
applicable laws and regulations.

SEC. 15. Protection of the Site Environment. Any proposed construction, including its location, siting,
and use, shall take into account the environment and its conservation and protection. It shall not
gravely affect the heritage and environmental significance of the site; and shall not harm nor aggravate
the state of the neighborhood, environment, and natural resources surrounding it. No construction, its
location, siting, and use shall be allowed without complying with the applicable heritage,
environmental, and natural resources laws and regulations, as determined by competent and
appropriate authorities and certified through a locational clearance and other clearance/s or
certificates as prescribed by applicable laws and regulations.

SEC. 16. Protection of the Public. Any proposed construction shall not cause harm to the general
public nor infringe on public spaces.

SEC. 17. Requirements in Hazard Zones and Special Sites. The Building Owner and Building
Professional shall ensure that the proposed construction, its location, siting, and use, will not increase
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the vulnerabilities of the people who will occupy the building and their neighborhood on account of
the hazard zone or special site. Within hazard zones as established in the Comprehensive Land Use
Plan (CLUP) and/or hazard maps published by the national government, risk mitigation and adaptation
requirements and/or measures shall be incorporated in the rules and regulations and reference
standards as promulgated by the National Building Official

SEC. 18. Resilience. Buildings and structures damaged structurally by a disaster or crisis shall adhere
to principles of building back better in post-disaster or post-crisis recovery and reconstruction. The
National Building Official shall cause to integrate disaster risk reduction and management measures
in the rules and regulations and reference standards for planning, design, and reconstruction of
buildings and structures.

‘The National Building Official shall promulgate specific rules and regulations and reference standards
for temporary post-disaster or post-crisis structures.

CHAPTER IV
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 19. General Requirements for Design. The design of all buildings and structures shall comply
with the requirements prescribed by this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards; provided,
that there shall be different levels of standards and technical requirements for socialized and economic
housing structures as provided by Batas Pambansa Blg. 220.

Buildings and structures on or in special sites shall consider special design requirements and risk
mitigation measures called for by the specific site conditions.

SEC. 20, Stability. All buildings and structures shall be designed to be structurally stable against
anticipated combinations of loads and effects so as to safeguard people and property from physical
harm or damage.

Subject to the provisions of Articles 684 to 686 of Republic Act No. 386, or Civil Code of the
Philippines, on lateral and subjacent support, the design and quality of materials used structurally in
excavation, footings, and in foundations shall conform to prescribed reference standards and accepted
engineering practice.

SEC. 21. Protection from Fire. All buildings and structures shall be designed to safeguard persons
and properties from any harm or damage caused by fire in accordance with Republic Act No. 9514, or
the Fire Code of the Philippines, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

All fire safety constructions as defined by the Fire Code of the Philippines shall be designed in
accordance with specific rules and regulations and reference standards under this Act.

SEC. 22. Protection from Moisture and Surface Water. All buildings shall be designed to provide
adequate resistance to penetration by, and the accumulation of, excessive moisture and surface water.

SEC. 23. Protection from Other Hazards, All buildings and structures shall be designed to safeguard
persons and properties from other site-specific hazards.
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SEC. 24, Safety of Users or Occupants. All buildings and structures shall be designed to safeguard its
users or occupants from harm, injury, or loss.

SEC. 25. Ingress, Circulation, and Egress. Safe access into, circulation within, and egress from the
buildings, including emergency exits, shall be provided for persons and vehicles.

SEC. 26. Energy and Energy Efficiency. The design of buildings and structures shall include, wherein
required, practices and technologies that maximize energy efficiency.

The National Building Official shall promulgate specific rules and regulations applicable to buildings
and structures exceeding a threshold total gross floor area, depending on the classification of use or
occupancy.

SEC. 27, Services and Facilities. All building services and facilities, their equipment and installations,
shall be designed to be adequate, safe, and efficient, to promote the well-being of the users or
occupants and the general public. Constructability and ease of maintenance of the services and
facilities shall be highly considered in the design.

As required by the occupancy group, buildings and structures shall be designed to provide services
and facilities including but not limited to the following: light and ventilation; water supply; drainage;
wastewater disposal; solid waste management, pest and vermin control; power and fuel supply;
communication facilities; and conveyance and parking facilities

Provided, that the carriageways, sidewalks, and all parts of road right-of-way for public roads
adjoining a building site shall not be used to meet the requirements of parking facilities for the building
as required by this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards. Provided further, that queuing
areas, driveways, ramps, entrances to, and exits from parking facilities for a building shall not encroach
on the road right-of-way nor obstruct the movement of pedestrians and vehicles on the public roads
adjoining the building

Provided finally, that telecommunication facilities such as, but not limited to, in-building solutions
and fiber-optic cabling for high-capacity and high-speed requirements shall be mandatory in buildings
owned by the national government and all local government units, as well as departments, regulatory
agencies, instrumentalities, and implementing units of the same.

CHAPTER V
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 28. General Requirements for Construction, The construction of all buildings and structures
shall comply with the requirements prescribed by this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards,

Use of materials, pieces of equipment, plants, and tools, and selection of personnel shall conform to
reference standards on materials, methods, and practices, in order to ensure quality of material and
quality of workmanship. Builders shall promote quality of construction as one of the essential links to
the reduction of the vulnerability of the building or structure to hazards.

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SEC. 29. Innovative Construction Technologies. All innovative construction technologies used in
building construction shall comply with any special tests or requirements as prescribed by the National
Building Official pursuant to the policies and objectives of this Act. These technologies shall be
installed by qualified personnel and supervised by technically competent professionals.

The proponent of such innovative construction technology may apply for a certification by the
competent national agency according to the rules and regulations prescribed by the National Building
Official. Buildings and other structures using an innovative construction technology with prior
certification shall be deemed to satisfy the requirement of structural peer review under sub-class (10)
of Section 10 of this Act.

SEC. 30, Safety and Protection During Construction. All buildings shall be constructed or demolished
without causing any harm or injury to the construction workers and the public.

SEC. 31. Protection of Property During Construction. All and any public or private property above
or below the ground shall be protected from any damage by any work being done under the permit.
The protection shall be maintained while such work is being done and shall not obstruct the normal
functioning of any such property.

SEC. 32, Phased or Incremental Construction. All uncompleted portions of buildings subject to
phased or incremental construction shall be protected and shall not pose harm to the public. Any
additional or incremental work shall not compromise the safety and well-being of the users or
occupants.

SEC. 33. Construction Waste Management. All buildings shall be constructed with proper
management of construction waste.

CHAPTER VI
BUILDING MATERIALS

SEC. 34. General Requirements for Materials. All building materials and components shall comply
with the requirements prescribed by this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

The use of building materials and components must be safe for the health of users or occupants and
Must not cause any substantive negative impact to the environment such as, but not limited to, air,
water, and soil.

SEC. 35. Selection of Materials, Building materials and components shall be selected following a set
of criteria including but not limited to strength, fire resistivity, moisture resistance, durability, and
sustainability, according to rules and regulations and reference standards promulgated by the National
Building Official

CHAPTER VIL
OCCUPANCY, MAINTENANCE, AND ABATEMENT OF BUILDINGS

SEC. 36. General Requirements for Occupancy, Maintenance, and Abatement. All Building Owners
shall use and maintain the building in accordance with the requirements prescribed by this Act, rules
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and regulations, and reference standards. The use and maintenance of the building must be safe for the
health of users, occupants, and the general public, and shall not cause any substantive negative impact
to the environment such as, but not limited to, air, water, and soil.

SEC. 37. Maintenance, Inspection, and Assessment of Buildings and Reporting to the ONBO. All
buildings shall undergo regular maintenance and inspection in accordance with each building’s
maintenance strategy. There shall be rules and regulations to guide the preparation, approval, and
implementation of appropriate maintenance strategies for buildings and structures, promulgated by the
National Building Official. The Building Owner shall perform periodic maintenance and inspection;
the Local Building Officials and/or Accredited Inspectors shall conduct inspection as appropriate
according to rules and regulations. The Office of the National Building Official shall establish a
‘system for monitoring, reporting, and evaluating maintenance and inspection activities.

The Office of the National Building Official shall assist Building Owners of structures falling within
the classification Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class PI Structures and Regular or Class P2 Structures in
conducting a simplified inspection of their buildings

For buildings and structures with occupancies falling under Group A, Group D, Group E, or Group Z,
there shall be periodic inspections by Local Building Officials and/or Accredited Inspectors subject to
specific rules and regulations promulgated by the National Building Official

The Office of the National Building Official shall coordinate with relevant government agencies that
regulate business operations in buildings and structures. Structural stability clearance from the Office
of the Local Building Official shall be a prerequisite for the issuance or renewal of business permits
or permits to operate, for new occupancy or occupancy after 15 years from the date of completion of
the building or structure.

Mandatory inspection and assessment by an Accredited Certifier as to structural stability and fire
safety construction shall be commissioned by the Building Owner at the 15" year from date of
completion of the building and every 15 years thereafter in the case of Special or Class P3 Structures.
In cases of addition, alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, relocation, repair, and/or retrofit requiring
more recent structural stability assessment and corresponding certification and clearance, the date of
reckoning of 15 years for purposes of this Section shall be counted from the completion date of the
latest building permit that involved the most recent structural stability clearance under this Act. The
National Building Official shall promulgate rules and regulations and reference standards for
mandatory inspection and assessment of buildings as to structural stability and fire safety construction,
specific to the various building classifications, provided, that Accredited Certifiers need not be
engaged for Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1 Structures and Regular or Class P2 Structures.

The National Building Official shall promulgate specific rules and regulations for mandatory
inspection and assessment of all buildings as to structural stability and fire safety construction after
regional catastrophic events such as, but not limited to, widely destructive earthquakes and typhoons.
The determination of an event that is catastrophic as to warrant mandatory assessment of all buildings
in a geographic area shall be made by the National Building Official in consultation and coordination
with other government agencies.

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The Office of the National Building Official through the Offices of Local Building Official shall
maintain a computerized national database of permits and other periodic data about all buildings and
structures, including but not limited to reports on maintenance, inspection, and/or assessment.

SEC. 38. Special Provision for Buildings Completed More than 15 Years Prior to the Effectivity of
this Act. To ensure the safety of the people and to reduce risks, Special or Class P3 Structures and
buildings and structures with occupancies falling under Group A, Group D, and Group E, that were
completed in 2004 or earlier, are mandated to have an assessment of the design based on the
requirements in Chapter IV of this Act as specified in rules and regulations, as to structural stability
and fire safety construction, and the Building Owners to submit the certifications or findings of
appropriate Building Professionals, serving as Accredited Certifiers, to the concerned Local Building
Officials regarding the state of such buildings and structures and their safety and/or need for retrofit.

Within three (3) months from the effectivity of this Act, the Department through the Office of the
National Building Official, in consultation with relevant agencies and stakeholders, shall implement a
phased approach to prioritize compliance of Building Owners in hazard zones, such as but not limited
to those near earthquake fault lines or in coastal zones affected by sea level rise, or in hazard zones or
areas otherwise identified in hazard maps, or those used for assemblies in large numbers and/or by
vulnerable users or occupants

The National Building Official, in coordination with other concerned agencies, shall develop and
administer incentive schemes, such as those allowed by the disaster risk reduction and management
funds, to support immediate voluntary retrofit by the Building Owners requiring modifications for the
safety of the users or occupants and/or the general public.

SEC. 39. Abatement of Dangerous and Ruinous Buildings. When any building or structure is found
or declared to be dangerous or ruinous, the Local Building Official shall order its repair, vacation, or
demolition depending upon the degree of danger to life, health, property, and public welfare. This is
without prejudice to further action that may be taken under the provisions of Articles 482 and 694 to
707 of the Civil Code of the Philippines and other existing laws.

For purposes of this Section, dangerous or ruinous buildings are buildings or structures determined by
the Local Building Official to be structurally unstable; or not provided with safe egress; or which
constitute a fire hazard; or are otherwise dangerous to human life; or which in relation to existing use,
constitute a hazard to health, safety, or public welfare because of inadequate maintenance,
dilapidation, obsolescence, or abandonment; or which otherwise contribute to the pollution of the site
or the community to an intolerable degree.

Abatement and/or rehabilitation of buildings and structures covered under Republic Act No. 10066,
or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, shall be coordinated with the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA) prior to any action of abatement.
CHAPTER VIII
ADMINISTRATION

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SEC. 40. National Building Official (NBO); Powers, Obligations, and Functions. The Secretary of
the Department shall have the duty to ensure that all laws relating to building design and construction
are faithfully executed and is primarily charged with the administration and enforcement of the
provisions of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

The Secretary shall ensure harmonization of rules and regulations and reference standards between
government-funded and non-government funded buildings and structures, consistent with the
objectives of this Act.

As the National Building Official, the Secretary shall have the following general powers, obligations,

and functions:

(a) Issue and promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act, upon
recommendation of the Building Regulations and Standards Council, and ensure compliance
with policies, plans, standards, and guidelines formulated. The Building Regulations and
Standards Council shall be formed in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

(b) Approve and/or take final action on changes and/or amendments to reference standards based
‘on recommendations of the Building Regulations and Standards Council. For this purpose,
existing referral codes shall hereinafter be renamed and referred to accordingly as “reference
standards”;

(c) Appoint or designate Local Building Officials, in manner as provided for by this Act, and
exercise technical supervision and control over them as the National Building Official;

(d) Create the Office of the Local Building Official in case of clustered municipalities, as set forth
in this Act, and exercise administrative as well as technical supervision and control;

(©) Appoint the Regional Building Appeals Boards, as provided for by this Act, and exercise
administrative supervision over them;

(f) Prescribe and fix the schedule of fees, appeal bonds, and other charges that the National Building
Official and Local Building Officials shall collect in the exercise of their regulatory functions;

(g) _ Inspect at reasonable times any building or structure, covered by this Act, rules and regulations,
and reference standards; provided, that in case of a single family dwelling, an inspection must
be upon the consent of the occupant or upon lawful order from the proper court,

(h) Issue appropriate orders, including cease and desist order and demolition order, against any
person or entity to prevent injury to the public and compel compliance with the provisions of
this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(i) _ Impose fines, penalties, and other administrative sanctions for failure or refusal to comply with,
or violation of any provision of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards, or any
order, instruction, or ruling;

(Enlist the aid and support of, and/or deputize any and all enforcement agencies of the
government in the implementation of his powers and functions under this Act, rules and
regulations, and reference standards; and

(k) Exercise such other powers and perform such functions as may be needed to carry out the
objectives of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

SEC. 41. Building Regulations and Standards Council (BRSC). A Building Regulations and Standards
Council is hereby created to assist the National Building Official in reviewing and recommending
ules and regulations and reference standards to accomplish the objectives of this Act.

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(a) Members. The Building Regulations and Standards Council shall be composed of the following:

(1) Undersecretary for Technical Services of the Department as Chair;

(2) Full-time Commissioner of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) as
Vice-Chair;

(3) Commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in charge of supervision
of regulatory boards of building professionals;

(4) Chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP);

(5) President of a national association of local building officials,

(6) President of a national association of building developers, national association of building
owners, national association of building managers, or national association of building
administrators;

(7) President of a PRC-accredited national professional organization of building
professionals;

(8) President of a national association of building contractors;

(9) High-ranking regular faculty member from a recognized higher education institution
involved in the training of building professionals; and

(10) Two (2) representatives-at-large coming from any concerned sectors whose participation
is deemed by the National Building Official as timely and complementary to those of other
members enumerated.

Each from a list of nominees submitted by their respective sectors, all representatives from the
private, academic, or non-government sectors, enumerated above from (5) to (9), shall be
appointed by the National Building Official for a term of three (3) years; provided, that each
said member, during his/her term in the Council, shall remain a certified member-in-good-
standing of the association, organization, or institution that has been originally represented. In
case of substitution or replacement of a member representing a specific sector, the new member
shall serve for the remainder of the three-year term. For these sectors, a different association,
organization, or institution other than the one currently represented shall be given preference by
the National Building Official in the next full three-year term appointment.

Representatives-at-large, enumerated above as (10), shall serve ex-officio if officials and
representatives of government agencies, or shall serve for a term of three (3) years, without
immediate reappointment within one (1) year, if coming from the private, academic, or non-
government sectors.

In the absence or temporary incapacity of the Undersecretary for Technical Services of the
Department, the Commissioner of the HLURB shall act as the Chair of the Council.

In the absence or temporary incapacity of the Undersecretary for Technical Services of the
Department and the Commissioner of the HLURB, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Undersecretary
for Technical Services of the Department shall act as the Chair of the Council.

A simple majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum. The presence of

either the Chair or Vice-Chair of the BRSC is indispensable in counting the quorum

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(b)

(©)

(d)

(©)

0)

Duties and Responsibilities. The Building Regulations and Standards Council shall have the

following duties and responsibilities:

(1)__ Review existing rules and regulations and existing referral codes, renamed as reference
standards under this Act, and/or formulate new ones in line with the provisions of this Act
and rules and regulations;

(2) Formulate and recommend policies and strategies, for design and construction, with
reference to global standards, and taking into account local conditions;

(3) Formulate a system of accreditation of qualified Building Professionals as Accredited
Certifiers, Accredited Structural Peer Reviewers, and/or Accredited Inspectors, and
qualified establishments or institutions as Accredited Testing Laboratories;

(4) Collect relevant information, conduct research, and support studies on all matters relating
to design and construction, such as, but not limited to, the performance and results
achieved of the standards in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and management in
building planning, design, construction, occupancy, and maintenance;

(5) Submit recommendations, including rules and regulations and reference standards, to the
National Building Official for approval;

(6) Submit an annual report to the National Building Official; and

(7) Perform such other functions that the National Building Official may authorize or assign
as may be necessary in carrying out the objectives of this Act.

Technical Working Groups (TWGs). To support the BRSC in the performance of its duties and
responsibilities, the National Building Official shall constitute Technical Working Groups
(TWGs) composed of relevant stakeholders.

Secretariat. The BRSC shall have its Secretariat personnel separate from the Office of the
National Building Official to assist in the operation of the Council and TWGs.

Procedures. The National Building Official, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall
prescribe, based on rules and regulations, the procedures of the Building Regulations and
Standards Council, ensuring the periodic review of reference standards every five (5) years and
the participation of the relevant stakeholders including, but not limited to, building officials,
building developers, building owners, building managers or administrators, building
professionals and professional organizations, building contractors, and higher education
institutions, in setting performance standards for design and construction.

The BRSC budget shall be included in the annual budget of the Department.

SEC. 42. Office of the National Building Official (ONBO). The Office of the National Building
Official, within the Department, is hereby created to provide sufficient technical, legal, administrative,
and support personnel to the National Building Official in the exercise of his powers and the
performance of his duties. This Office, headed by a Director, who shall be a registered and licensed
professional, be member of good standing of the duly accredited national organization of the
profession, and have at least five (5) years of diversified and professional experience in building
design, construction, and regulation, shall be placed under the supervision of the Undersecretary for
Technical Services. It shall comprise highly qualified personnel eligible to act as building

Page 16 of 30


professionals, scientists, or technicians who possess diversified and professional experience in the
field of building design and construction, and lawyers.

The Office of the National Building Official shall provide assistance to the National Building Official
in the institutional strengthening of Offices of Local Building Official, capacity building of Local
Building Officials, data management, monitoring and evaluation, and establishing and maintaining
linkages with concerned institutions. A mandatory continuing education and training program shall be
pursued for the Local Building Officials and their staff, as well as the staff of the Office of the National
Building Official

The Office of the National Building Official shall coordinate the Regional Building Appeals Boards.

The Office of the National Building Official shall formulate plans, programs, and projects on building
planning, design, construction, occupancy, and maintenance pursuant to this Act in consideration of
global best practices and the exposure of the country to multiple hazards. It shall plan and implement
a computerized national database of buildings and structures, for purposes of Section 37 and other
provisions of this Act and rules and regulations. It shall also be in-charge of the implementation of a
system of accreditation of qualified Building Professionals as Accredited Certifiers, Accredited
Structural Peer Reviewers, and/or Accredited Inspectors, and qualified establishments or institutions
as Accredited Testing Laboratories.

SEC. 43. Regional Building Appeals Boards (RBABs). A Regional Building Appeals Board with
appropriate personnel is hereby created in Regional Offices of the Department and placed under the
administrative supervision of the National Building Official; provided, that an RBAB may be created
by the National Building Official to serve a group of adjacent regions, The RBAB shall be chaired by
a member of the Philippine Bar, and assisted by two technical personnel of the Department sitting as
the other members of the Board and by support staff, all of whom are appointed by the National
Building Official. It shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction to review decisions of the Local
Building Officials, or resolve appeals and/or complaints after the same shall have been acted upon, or
not given due course, by the respective Local Building Officials within their region. In case of appeal
for reconsideration by an aggrieved party on the same matter, the decision of the RBAB shall be
subject to review by the National Building Official pursuant to Section 60 of this Act.

SEC. 44. Offices of the Local Building Official (OLBOs) and Local Building Officials (LBOs). Cities
and first class municipalities shall create and operate a separate Office of the Local Building Official
headed by a Local Building Official who shall be appointed by and accountable to the National
Building Official. The Local Building Official shall be appointed by the National Building Official
from a list of at least three (3) qualified recommendees of the mayor, subject to civil service law and
rules and regulations. The Local Building Official shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions
of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards within the territorial jurisdictions.

Depending upon their needs and in order to improve their frontline services, second to sixth-class
municipalities may create and operate a separate Office of the Local Building Official upon request to
and approval by the National Building Official. These municipalities, if adjacent and accessible to
each other, may also opt to request the National Building Official to create and operate an Office of
the Local Building Official to serve the clustered municipalities, which office shall be under the

Page 17 of 30


National Building Official. This cluster Office shall be located at a municipality within the cluster as
determined by the National Building Official. Each cluster of municipalities may recommend to the
National Building Official the appointment of one Local Building Official for such cluster from a list
of at least three (3) qualified recommendees of the mayors of the cluster, subject to civil service law
and rules and regulations.

Absent a request to and/or approval by the National Building Official for either a separate or a cluster
Office of the Local Building Official, the municipal engineers of the second to sixth-class
municipalities shall be designated by the National Building Official to act, in concurrent capacity, as
the Local Building Officials in their respective territorial jurisdictions, For purposes of this Chapter
and this Section, the Office of the Municipal Engineer in such second to sixth-class municipalities
shall be referred to also as Office of the Local Building Official

The concerned local government unit shall provide the funding for and operate the separate Office of
the Local Building Official; the Office of the National Building Official shall fund and operate cluster
Offices of the Local Building Official. The sharing and use of fees and fines among the offices shall
be in conformity with Section 46 of this Act

SEC. 45, Special Jurisdictions. There shall be Local Building Officials for special jurisdictions such
as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and
other government agencies, as provided for by the applicable laws, who shall regulate design and
construction of buildings or structures under their jurisdiction and/or their registered locators and
enterprises. These Local Building Officials in special jurisdictions shall likewise be appointed by and
accountable to the National Building Official.

Said Local Building Officials shall be designated by the National Building Official from a list of at
least three (3) qualified recommendees of the head of their agency, subject to civil service law and
rules and regulations,

SEC. 46. Sharing and Use of Fees and Fines. Out of the total collection derived from fees, permit
fees, fines, and other charges, the Office of the Local Building Official shall retain 15% thereof and
deposit in a special account created by the Local Treasurer, to answer for its maintenance and other
operating expenses. The Office of the Local Building Official shall cause to remit five percent (5%)
to the National Building Official. The remaining 80% shall accrue to the general fund of the local
government unit or agency with special jurisdiction, which created and operated the Office.

However, in the case of the cluster Office of the Local Building Official, it shall retain 15% thereof
and deposit in a special account created by the Local Treasurer, to answer for its maintenance and
other operating expenses, cause to remit 65% to the National Building Official, and cause to divide
‘the remaining 20% between or among the clustered municipalities in proportion to the total fees and
fines originating from each municipality, and to accrue to their respective general funds.

The share of income to be remitted to the National Building Official shall be used to cover honoraria
for the BRSC Secretariat, BRSC TWGs, RBABs, and other operating expenses of the BRSC, ONBO,
RBABs, and cluster OLBOs.

Page 18 of 30


Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the National Building Official is hereby
authorized to prescribe the procedures for the use of the 15% retained for the Office of the Local
Building Official. Such income may be used to cover necessary operating expenses including the
purchase of equipment, supplies, and materials; expenses for travel; continuing education and training
programs; engaging Accredited Inspectors and Accredited Structural Peer Reviewers; obligation
expenses including attorney's fees and other legal expenses, including sheriff's fees as well as hazard
pay for employees and/or authorized representatives of the Office of the Local Building Official when
the cause is in line with the performance of duties; and payment of other prior years’ obligations not
adequately funded, subject to existing budgetary and auditing rules and regulations.

SEC. 47. Qualifications of Local Building Officials. No person shall be appointed as a Local Building

Official unless the person possesses the following qualifications

(a) A Filipino citizen and of good moral character,

(b) A duly registered and licensed architect or civil engineer;

(c) A member of good standing of the duly accredited professional organization of architects or of
civil engineers for not less than five (5) years; and

(d) Has at least five (5) years of diversified and professional experience in building design and
construction.

Municipal engineers appointed by their mayors and who shall concurrently be designated by the
National Building Official as Local Building Officials, shall comply with the qualifications prescribed
for their positions as municipal engineers in the Local Government Code.

The Local Building Official for a special jurisdiction shall comply with the qualifications prescribed
for the position by the applicable law.

SEC. 48. Powers, Obligations, and Functions of Local Building Officials. In addition to the other
powers, obligations, and functions mentioned in this Act, the Local Building Official shall have the
following general powers, obligations, and functions:

(a) Approve applications for, and issue, reject, suspend, or revoke permits within their territorial or
special jurisdictions; for this purpose, the Local Building Official shall base the decision upon
the completeness and integrity of the application documents supported by the appropriate
certifications of Building Professionals and clearances from relevant government agencies, in
accordance with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(b) Hear and decide cases filed by parties on complaints related to the permitting process;

(c) Enter any building, structure, or its premises at reasonable times to inspect and determine
compliance with the requirements of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards, as
well as the terms and conditions of the permit/s issued; provided, that in case of a single family
dwelling, an inspection by the Local Building Official and/or Accredited Inspector must be upon
the consent of the occupant or upon lawful order from the proper court;

(d) Engage qualified and nationally-accredited Building Professionals as inspectors and/or
structural peer reviewers;

(e) Order the work stopped and prescribe the terms and/or conditions for the work to be allowed to
resume, or issue any appropriate order, including cease and desist order and demolition order,
when any construction is found to be contrary to the provisions of this Act, rules and regulations,
reference standards, and the terms and conditions of the permit/s issued;

Page 19 of 30


(f) Order the discontinuance of the use or occupancy of any building or structure, or a portion
thereof, found to be used or occupied contrary to the provisions of this Act, rules and regulations,
and reference standards, and/or the terms and conditions of the permit/s issued;

(g) Keep a permanent record and accurate account of all fees, fines, and other charges fixed and
authorized by the National Building Official to be collected and received under this Act;

(h) Validate and submit data on a computerized national database of buildings and structures, for
purposes of Section 37 and other provisions of this Act and rules and regulations;

(i) Submit an annual situational report to the National Building Official; and

(i) _ Exercise such powers and perform such other functions needed to assist the National Building
Official in carrying out the objectives of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

SEC. 49. Responsibilities of Building Owners. To promote accountability, Building Owners and

Building Owner-Builders shall be responsible for their compliance with the provisions of this Act,

tules and regulations, and reference standards. These responsibilities shall include but not be limited

to:

(a) Providing and/or submitting true and correct information and documents in support of their
application for permits and their prerequisite certifications and clearances;

(b) Adhering to the plans and specifications;

(c) Complying with the terms and conditions of the permit issued, and other prerequisite
certifications and clearances;

(d) Maintaining the building consistent with its maintenance strategy and conducting periodic
inspection in accordance with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(e) Engaging the services of Building Professionals and/or Building Contractors for any proposed
construction, as may be required by this Act, rules and regulations, except for Deemed-to-Satisfy
or Class P1 Structures; and

(f) Engaging the services of Building Professionals or Accredited Certifiers for the assessment of
structural stability and fire safety construction of the building, as may be required by this Act,
tules and regulations, except for Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1 Structures and Regular or Class
P2 Structures.

Offer to transfer ownership, or actual transfer of ownership, involving owners of subdivision projects
shall be made pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 957, or the Subdivision and Condominium Buyers’
Protective Decree.

Offer to transfer ownership, or actual partial or full transfer of ownership, involving owners of
condominium projects shall be made pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 957, or the Subdivision and
Condominium Buyers’ Protective Decree, and to Republic Act No. 4726, or the Condominium Act,
as amended

SEC. 50. Responsibilities of Building Professionals. To promote accountability, the various Building

Professionals, all of whom are registered and licensed by their respective professional boards under

the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), shall be responsible for the accuracy of their work

and their corresponding certifications.

(a) Design professionals shall be responsible for the correctness and consistency of their design and
the preparation of duly signed and sealed drawings, technical specifications, calculations,
designs, and analyses. They are not precluded from conducting inspection of the construction

Page 20 of 30


work or building or structure to check and determine adherence to the plans and specifications
of the work as submitted with the permit application; provided, that in case of a single family
dwelling, an inspection must be upon the consent of the occupant or upon lawful order from the
proper court.

(b) Professionals in charge of construction shall be responsible for the correctness of construction,
including correctness of materials used, procedures followed, and temporary works carried out
in compliance with construction methodologies and standards; for compliance with safety
requirements; and for proper construction supervision at the site works. They shall undertake
the full time inspection and supervision of the work, and keep at the work site at all times a
logbook wherein the actual progress of work including tests conducted, weather conditions, and
other pertinent data are recorded, They shall be responsible for the consistency and integrity of
the documents such as logbook and as-built plans. They shall also be responsible for the
submission of the said documents, all duly signed and sealed, upon completion or stoppage of
construction, to the Local Building Official.

SEC. 51. Responsibilities of Building Contractors. To promote accountability, Building Contractors
shall adhere to the duly signed and sealed drawings, technical specifications, and construction
procedure, as prepared and certified by the Building Professionals and relied upon by the Local
Building Officials in the issuance of the permit. They shall also adhere to the additional details, issued
during construction, conforming to the submitted documents. Building Contractors shall ensure the
safety and health of construction workers, in addition to protection afforded to them by labor laws. As
principals, they shall be solidarily responsible for the acts and omissions of their representatives,
agents, subcontractors, and/or employees in relation to construction. They shall engage Building
Professionals in-charge of construction.

CHAPTER IX
PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS

SEC. 52. Types of Permit. The Building Owner of any proposed construction or existing building or

structure must secure the appropriate permit from the Local Building Official, prior to the start of such

work or occupancy:

(a) Building Permit — a permit for the construction of building or structure or any addition,
alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, relocation, repair, or retrofit of such;

(b) Ancillary Permit — a permit for the construction of ancillary structures as defined in this Act;

(c) Excavation Permit — a permit for construction involving the removal of soil or rock from a site
to form an open face, hole, or cavity using tools, machinery, or explosives;

(d) Demolition Permit —a permit for demolition of a building, structure, or portion thereof including
that which will be removed in the course of an on-going construction; and

(e) Occupancy Permit ~ previously termed Certificate of Occupancy; a permit for the full use or
occupancy of a building or structure, or a partial permit for use or occupancy of portion or
Portions thereof prior to the completion of the entire building or structure, or a temporary permit
for temporary use or occupancy thereof prior to the completion of the entire work covered by
the permit; provided, that such portion or portions shall be used or occupied safely and that the
Local Building Official shall set a time period during which the partial permit or temporary
permit shall be valid in accordance with rules and regulations.

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The National Building Official may prescribe in the rules and regulations such other permits as it may
deem necessary in accordance with objectives of this Act.

No permit shall be required for minor constructions, repairs, or demolitions prescribed in the rules and
regulations, insofar as these shall not violate any objective or provision of this Act.

SEC. 53. Detailed Classification of Buildings for Permitting Purposes. The National Building Official
shall prescribe the requirements for and procedure in securing the different types of permit, as may be
appropriate, based on the classification of buildings found in Section 10 of this Act. The procedures
to be laid out by the National Building Official shall include: (a) a simplified permitting process for
Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1 Structures; (b) a mandatory structural peer review of the stability for
Special or Class P3 Structures; and (c) a regular permitting process for Regular or Class P2 Structures.
The organizational structure of each Office of the Local Building Official laid out by the National
Building Official, based on rules and regulations, shall take these three (3) permitting processes in
consideration.

To aid the simplified permitting process, the National Building Official shall cause, through Simplified
Reference Standards, the detailed documentation and region-wide or nation-wide information and
education campaign on the proper siting, design, and construction of Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1
Structures including Traditional Indigenous Family Dwellings

SEC. 54, Application for Permit. Any person desiring to apply for the appropriate permit shall file a
duly accomplished permit application form with the Local Building Official of the local government
unit, cluster thereof, or special jurisdiction where the building or structure, proposed or existing, is
located.

In case of expired or revoked permit, the Building Owner may apply for a renewal of permit in
accordance with the prescribed rules and regulations.

‘The National Building Official may require the payment of corresponding fees according to a schedule
provided in the rules and regulations and shall prescribe such other standard requirements to be
submitted with the duly accomplished permit application; provided, that no application fees shall be
required for Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1 Structures,

Together with duly accomplished permit application form/s, the applicant shall submit: (a) documents
relating to ownership of building site that support the authority to order construction work for a
building or structure and to hold legal right of possession or title to a building or structure; (b) relevant
clearances from other agencies; (c) documents relating to building use or occupancy, location, plans,
specifications, and maintenance strategy; and (d) estimated construction cost. According to the permit
being applied for and the classification of building or structure involved, whether Deemed-to-Satisfy,
Regular, or Special Structure, the National Building Official, through rules and regulations, shall
require specific parts of building plans, specifications and related documents to be submitted as
evidence of compliance with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

The National Building Official, through rules and regulations, shall require specific parts of building
plans and specifications to be prepared, signed and sealed by appropriate Building Professionals;
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provided, that various building professionals may be appropriately authorized according to their
respective professional regulation laws to prepare, sign, and seal certain parts, sheets, or pages of
building plans, specifications, and related documents.

SEC. 55. Processing of the Permit Application. Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9485, or the Anti-Red.
Tape Act as amended by Republic Act No. 11032, or Ease of Doing Business and Efficient
Government Service Delivery Act, within a reasonable time from the filing of the duly-accomplished
permit application, payment of fees as applicable, and compliance with other standard requirements
to be determined by the National Building Official, the Local Building Official shall give due course
to the application and issue the permit applied for upon satisfaction of the completeness and integrity
of the application documents supported by the appropriate certifications of Building Professionals and
clearances from relevant government agencies, in accordance with this Act, rules and regulations, and
reference standards.

SEC. 56. Validity of Permit. A Building Owner with issued permits has the continuing obligation to
comply with the provisions of this Act, rules or regulations, and reference standards throughout the
lifespan of the building or structure.

When submitted plans and specifications of an issued permit are subsequently found to be erroneous,
the Local Building Official is authorized to oblige the applicant to effect the necessary corrections in
said plans and specifications and the corresponding construction or to prevent or stop any or all
building operations that are in violation of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

A permit issued under the provisions of this Act shall expire and become null and void if the building
or work authorized therein is not commenced within a period of one (1) year after the issuance of the
permit, A partial or temporary Occupancy Permit shall be valid for the time period set by the Local
Building Official in accordance with the prescribed rules and regulations. For phased or incremental
construction referred to in Section 32 of this Act, the Building Owner may apply for an extension of,
the validity of the permit, or renewal of the permit as appropriate, in accordance with the prescribed
rules and regulations.

SEC. 57. Grounds for Non-issuance, Suspension, or Revocation of Permit. The Local Building

Official may order or cause the non-issuance, suspension, or revocation of permits on any or all of the

following reasons or grounds:

(a) Non-compliance with the provisions of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards;

(b) Substantial errors found in the plans and specifications;

(©) _ Use of sub-standard building material or sub-standard workmanship and refusal to rectify upon
notice;

(4) Without any work being done in the site for more than one hundred twenty (120) days for
excavations left open or building construction abandoned; and

(e) Fraudulent misrepresentation of data or information supplied in the application permit.

Notice of non-issuance, suspension, or revocation of permit shall always be made in writing, stating
the reasons or grounds therefor. Said action by the Local Building Official shall be proportionate to
‘the reasons or grounds committed by the applicant, in accordance with this Act and rules and
regulations.

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SEC. 58. Complaint. Based on the grounds enumerated in Section 57 of this Act, any person aggrieved
by the proposed, ongoing, or existing construction, use, or occupancy may file before the Local
Building Official of the local government unit, cluster thereof, or special jurisdiction where the
concerned construction is located for the non-issuance, suspension, or revocation of the corresponding
permit applied for by, or granted to, the Building Owner. The aggrieved party shall be notified of the
action taken by the Local Building Official in case the permit is granted or furnished with a copy of
the decision, order, or notice of non-issuance, suspension, or revocation of a permit of the Local
Building Official

SEC. 59. Appeal to the Regional Building Appeals Board. Within fifteen (15) days from the date of
receipt of notice of the non-issuance, suspension, or revocation of the permit or of the action taken by
the Local Building Official, the aggrieved party may file an appeal with the Regional Building Appeals
Board based on the following grounds:

(a) Arbitrariness of the Local Building Official in the performance of regulatory functions; or

(b) Lack of factual or legal basis,

The Regional Building Appeals Board shall render a decision within fifteen (15) days from date of
receipt of appeal. The Regional Building Appeals Board’s decision shall be in writing, stating
specifically the reasor/s or ground/s therefor. In case it finds the appeal to be meritorious, the Regional
Building Appeals Board shall direct the Local Building Official to issue the appropriate permit or
order.

The decision of the Regional Building Appeals Board shall become final and executory fifteen (15)
days after receipt of a copy thereof by the party adversely affected unless, within that period, an appeal
to the National Building Official has been perfected.

SEC. 60. Appeal to the National Building Official. Within fifteen (15) days from the date of receipt
of notice of the decision of the RBAB, the aggrieved party may file an appeal to the National Building
Official; an appeal shall be deemed perfected upon filing of the notice of appeal and posting of the
corresponding appeal bond.

The National Building Official shall render a decision within thirty (30) days from perfection of the
appeal. The National Building Official’s decision shall be in writing, stating specifically the reason/s
or ground/s therefor. In case the NBO finds the appeal to be meritorious, the National Building Official
shall direct the Local Building Official to issue the appropriate permit or order.

SEC. 61. Inspection and Supervision of Work and Building or Structure. Subject to the primary
responsibility of Building Owners, Building Professionals, and Building Contractors to inspect and/or
supervise construction and as set forth in this Act, the Local Building Official may, upon motion of
any aggrieved party or motu proprio, visit and inspect at reasonable times the ongoing constructions
or existing buildings and structures to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the permits
and the provisions of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards. The National Building
Official shall promulgate specific rules and regulations for inspection of Group R, Residential
buildings and structures, to be carried out by the Local Building Official and/or Accredited Inspector.

Page 24 of 30


The Local Building Official shall conduct periodic inspections of existing buildings and structures in
accordance with Chapter VII of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards.

CHAPTER X
iCENTIVES AND PENALTIES

SEC. 62. Incentives. The National Building Official, in coordination with relevant agencies, shall
develop and administer incentive schemes, which can be administrative, financial, or otherwise, to
promote voluntary compliance of existing buildings and structures with the provisions of this Act,
tules and regulations, and reference standards, as well as to encourage all owners of buildings and
structures, either existing or proposed, to promote the use of environmentally sound or sustainable
materials, methods, practices, and technologies.

The National Building Official, in coordination with other relevant agencies, may also develop and
promulgate incentive schemes for owners of both public and private buildings to secure insurance
coverage for the residual risk after complying with mandatory requirements of applicable laws.

The National Building Official may recommend funding support for local government units and
communities that have endorsed disaster risk reduction and management activities for buildings and
structures, especially those falling within the classification of Deemed-to-Satisfy or Class P1
Structures, in their jurisdictions.

SEC. 63. Prohibited Acts and Omissions. The following are prohibited acts and omissions:

(a) _ by the Building Owner and/or representative:

(1)  misrepresentation or submission of false statements or documents;

(2) use of unauthorized documents and/or certifications of Building Professional/s;

(3) undertaking any construction without the required permit/s;

(4) noncompliance with or violation of the terms and conditions of the permit, including
prerequisite clearances by other government agencies;

(5) _ not maintaining the building in accordance with the submitted maintenance strategy;

(6) engaging non-licensed building professionals in the design, review, construction, or
certification of building;

(7) _ engaging non-licensed building contractors in the construction of building; and

(8) analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

(b) _ by the Building Professional:
(1) misrepresentation or false statements;
(2) certifying documents that s/he did not prepare, or certifying acts that s/he did not perform;
(3) submission of incorrect or inconsistent drawings, technical specifications, calculations,
designs, and analyses;
(4) non-compliance with construction methodologies and standards in case of a professional
in charge of construction;
(5) violation of safety standards prescribed by law or regulations in case of a professional in
charge of construction;
Page 25 of 30


©

(d)

(e)

(g)

(6)

12)

non-submission of duly signed and sealed documents, or submission of inconsistent or
deceitful documents, such as logbook and as-built plans in case of a professional in charge
of construction; and

analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

by the Building Contractor:

qd)

Q)
@)
(4)

deviation from the plans and specifications certified by Building Professionals and
submitted to the Local Building Official, in a way that increases the risk to life, health,
property, or public welfare:

violation of safety standards prescribed by law or regulations;

‘not engaging a Building Professional in charge of construction; and

analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

by the Accredited Certifier:

qa)
(2)
@)

(4)

misrepresentation or false statements in order to be accredited by the Office of the National
Building Official;

certifying buildings and structures that do not meet the requirements of this Act, rules and
regulations, and reference standards, and other applicable laws;

refusing or failing to certify buildings and structures that meet the requirements of this
Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards; and

analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

by the Accredited Structural Peer Reviewer:

a
Q)
@)

(4)

misrepresentation or false statements in order to be accredited by the Office of the National
Building Official;

providing false information to the Building Owner and/or Building Professional regarding
the review;

false certification on the compliance of structural design with this Act, rules and
regulations, and reference standards; and

analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

by the Accredited Testing Laboratory:

()

Q)
(3)
(4)
()

misrepresentation or false statements in order to be accredited by the Office of the National
Building Official;

misrepresentation or false statements in the tests and/or test results of building materials;
tampering with the equipment and instruments;

conducting test methods non-conforming to reference standards; and

analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

by the Accredited Inspector:

Page 26 of 30


(1) _ misrepresentation or false statements in order to be accredited by the Office of the National
Building Official;

(2) _ providing false information to the Local Building Official regarding the inspection;

(3) _ false certification on the inspection, in consideration of any offer, promise, gift, or present
received; and

(4) analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

(h) _ by the Local Building Official:

(1) arbitrariness in the performance of powers, obligations, and functions;

(2) unjustifiable delay or gross negligence in the performance of powers, obligations, and
functions,

(3) _ willful engagement of non-accredited inspector;

(4) willful non-compliance with the orders of the National Building Official and/or Regional
Building Appeals Board; and

(5) analogous acts, omissions, and violations of this Act, rules and regulations, and reference
standards.

SEC. 64. Fines and Penalties. Any prohibited act or omission falling under paragraphs (a) — (h) in
Section 63 of this Act shall be subject to the administrative fines and penalties to be imposed by the
National Building Official, acting through the Local Building Official. Such fines shall not be lower
than 0.01% nor higher than 1.0% of the construction cost, per violation, in accordance with the gravity
of the offense and the category of violator as provided in Section 63; provided, that the Local Building
Official may not issue, may suspend, or may revoke any permit issued to the violator, as may be
appropriate, and/or may order the suspension or cessation of any construction until such time that
compliance with this Act, rules and regulations, and reference standards are undertaken; provided
further, that in case the Building Owner is also the builder or Building Owner-Builder, the liability is
only considered as one and that of the Building Owner; provided furthermore, that in case of Building
Professionals and/or Building Contractors found to commit any of the prohibited acts and omissions,
the Local Building Official shall also endorse such violation to the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) and the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP), respectively,
for the corresponding administrative sanctions; and provided finally, that should there be more than
one violator for a single prohibited act or omission, their liability shall be solidary.

These administrative sanctions imposed by the National Building Official, through the Local Building
Official, are without prejudice to the right of any affected person to file the appropriate administrative,
civil, or criminal action in the proper forum.

For offenses falling under paragraph (h) in Section 63 of this Act, the National Building Official, upon
recommendation of the Regional Building Appeals Board and after notice and hearing, may suspend
or revoke the appointment or designation of the Local Building Official as such, without prejudice to
the administrative, civil, or criminal liability of said official in accordance with existing laws.

SEC. 65. Criminal Liabilities of Building Owners, Building Professionals, Building Contractors,
Accredited Certifiers, Accredited Structural Peer Reviewers, Accredited Testing Laboratories, and
Accredited Inspectors. In case of gross violation of this Act and/or rules and regulations, the National

Page 27 of 30


Building Official and/or Local Building Official may recommend to the appropriate government

agencies the filing of criminal charges against the violators. Gross violations shall mean any of the

following:

(a) unauthorized change in type of construction from more fire-resistive to less fire-resistive;

(b) non-compliance with order to abate or demolish;

(c) non-compliance with cease and desist order for construction;

(d) not having any work being done in the site for more than one hundred twenty (120) days and
without justifiable cause, for excavations left open or building construction abandoned; and

(e) _ blatant disregard of the orders of the Local Building Official in relation to the protection of life,
health, property, and public welfare, such as the non-payment of fines and breaking of seals or
operating despite the existence of an order for suspension or revocation.

In which case, the offender shall be punished, per violation, by a fine not lower than 0.01% nor higher
than 1.0% of the construction cost, or by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor more than
six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the court, without prejudice to the civil liability of the offender
in accordance with existing laws. Where the violation is attended by injury, loss of life and/or loss of
property, the offender shall be proceeded against under the applicable provisions of the Revised Penal
Code and other special laws. If the offender is a juridical entity, its officers, directors, agents, or any
person primarily responsible shalll be held liable.

SEC. 66. Criminal Liability of Local Building Officials and Staff. Any Local Building Official and/or
staff who shall conspire to commit any of the enumerated gross violations with any offender as
provided in Section 65 of this Act shall be punished, per violation, by a fine not lower than 0.01% nor
higher than 1.0% of the construction cost involved, or by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months
nor more than six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the court, without prejudice to the civil liability
of the offender in accordance with existing laws.

CHAPTER XI
FINAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 67. Appropriations. The amount needed for the initial implementation of this Act shall be taken
from the current fiscal budget of the Department; provided, however, that such amount as may be
necessary to carry out Section 38 of this Act is hereby appropriated out of the unappropriated funds of
the National Treasury in the amount of Three Hundred Sixty Five Million Pesos (Php 365,000,000)

Thereafter, Congress shall provide for the appropriations of the Department the annual amount needed
for the implementation of this Act to be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 68. Transitory Provision. There shall be a systematic transition of implementation of building
regulations and standards from Presidential Decree No. 1096 to this Act

To initiate and facilitate the transition, the Secretary, as the National Building Official, is mandated to
immediately establish the Office of the National Building Official within three (3) months of the
effectivity of this Act

City and Municipal Engineers already acting as Local Building Officials in their respective
jurisdictions, and Local Building Officials already appointed or designated by the Secretary and
Page 28 of 30


performing as such, shall continue to act in such capacity, until new appointments and designations
shall be made for Local Building Officials.

Engagement of Accredited Certifiers, Accredited Inspectors, Accredited Structural Peer Reviewers,
and Accredited Testing Laboratories as provided for in this Act, shall take effect following the
implementation by the ONBO of the system of accreditation, as formulated by the BRSC and
promulgated by the NBO. The initial list of accredited persons shall be published by the ONBO within
one (1) year from the promulgation of the system of accreditation.

Consistent with Section 40 and Section 41 of this Act, existing referral codes, renamed as reference
standards by this Act, shall remain valid until after the National Building Official promulgates new,
revised, or amended reference standards after the review and recommendation of the BRSC.

Provided, that absent reference standards that are locally or nationally adopted by the competent
government agency for a particular subject, the latest standards by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) may be used as default standards.

SEC. 69. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The National Building Official, upon the
recommendation of the Building Regulations and Standards Council and in consultation with relevant
stakeholders, shall promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act, including a system
of accreditation of qualified Building Professionals as Accredited Certifiers, Accredited Structural
Peer Reviewers, and/or Accredited Inspectors, and qualified establishments or institutions as
Accredited Testing Laboratories, within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. For this purpose,
the Secretary, as the National Building Official, is mandated to immediately constitute the Building
Regulations and Standards Council within three (3) months of the effectivity of this Act.

The National Building Official shall ensure that all buildings owned by the national government and
all local government units, as well as departments, regulatory agencies, instrumentalities, and
implementing units of the same, shall implement an integrated, or whole-building, approach to the
siting, planning, design, materials, construction, use, occupancy, maintenance, addition, alteration,
conversion, rehabilitation, relocation, repair, retrofit, and demolition, so they are sustainable, energy
efficient, secure and safe, cost-effective, accessible, functional, productive, and aesthetic.

The National Building Official shall ensure that this Act is implemented in manners that are clear to
all stakeholders, through measures that include but are not limited to the following.

Every rule or regulation for the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this Act, including
any standard that may be referenced by such, shall clearly indicate the section or sub-section of this
Act to which it corresponds.

Subject to Section 5 of this Act, every approved local ordinance with the effect of modifying a national

tule, regulation, or standard, towards better safeguarding of life, health, property, and public welfare,
shall clearly indicate the national rule, regulation, or standard which it improves.

Page 29 of 30


All forms, tables, charts, illustrations, drawings, and other annexes included with rules, regulations,
standards, and ordinances shall be systematically, uniquely, and clearly labeled, and duly referenced
within the text of the associated rule, regulation, standard, or ordinance.

SEC. 70. Non-Retroactivity Clause. This Act shall have no retroactive effect insofar as all buildings
and structures constructed under Presidential Decree No. 1096, or the National Building Code of the
Philippines, as amended, or existing city or municipal building ordinances, if legally done in
accordance therewith, shall be respected subject to such limitations in this Act and except as otherwise
stated in Section 38 of this Act.

However, additions, alterations, conversions, rehabilitations, relocations, repairs, retrofits, and
demolitions to be made in such buildings and structures shall be subject to the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 71. Mandatory Review. This Act shall undergo a mandatory review of its provisions every five
(5) years to make the law more responsive to the needs of the times. The review shall be made by
Congress, which shall conduct public hearings and evaluate the accomplishments and impact of this
Act as well as the performance and organizational structure of its implementing offices, which shall
be the basis of any amendment or modification of this Act.

SEC. 72. Separability Clause. If any portion of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the
other portions which are not affected thereby shall continue in full force and effect.

SEC. 73. Repealing Clause. Presidential Decree No. 1096, or the National Building Code of the
Philippines, as amended, is hereby repealed. Sec. 477 of Republic Act No. 7160, also known as the
Local Government Code, is modified accordingly. Other existing laws, decrees, executive orders, and
rules and regulations or parts thereof that are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed.

SEC. 74, Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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