ASEP CODE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: 2007-2010

UPDATE OF THE NATIONAL STRUCTURAL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

(NSCP)
Adam Abinales1, Emilio Morales2, Ronwaldo Aquino3
Abstract: This paper is presented at the 14th ASEP International Convention held last May 21-22, 2009 in Great Eastern
Hotel and at the 2009 PICE Mid-year Convention in Bacolod Pavilion Resort Hotel, Bacolod City in June 26-27, 2009 and
consists of two main parts. First, the long-term plan of action for code development that has been formulated by the ASEP
Codes and Standards Committee (CSC) is discussed. The term for members of the committee has been set to three years
primarily for continuity. Also, the committee has decided to seek to develop each section of the code (e.g. general
requirements (loads and actions), foundations and geo-materials, bridges, steel and metal, structural concrete, wood and
masonry, housing, railways and ports and harbor) independently. Second, the series of activities of the committee as part of
its ongoing campaign for code development is briefly discussed.

Key words: ASEP, NSCP, CSC, structural engineering, Philippines, code development program
1

INTRODUCTION

This paper is presented at the 14th ASEP International

Convention and consists of two main parts. The second
chapter discusses the long-term plan of action for code
development that has been formulated by the ASEP Codes
and Standards Committee. The third chapter summarizes
the presentations and discussions at the various activities of
the committee spearheading the updating of the National
Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP). This chapter
presents a brief background of the efforts by ASEP and its
Codes and Standards Committee in laying out a plan of
action for the development and updating of the NSCP.
1.1 History of the NSCP
The question might be asked: Why update the NSCP now?
We could look at the history of the NSCP in Table 1.
From Table 1, Five (5) years seems to be the typical time
frame between either code updates or code re-printing.
NSCP-2001 was actually released in 2002. An update may
have been due in 2007, but instead the 2nd printing of the
4th edition Volume 2 was released. The next update due
may be in 2010.
There have been recent developments in terms of wind
loading and earthquake loading in particular, as well as in
concrete design and steel design, which have not been
captured yet in the most recent NSCP-2001. For example,
dynamic wind effects and the use of deterministic MCE
(maximum credible earthquake) values instead of the
traditional probabilistic procedure are now considered in the
latest international codes. There have also been attempts at
harmonizing the different codes of different neighboring
countries, as well as moving towards performance-based
designs. On the contrary, in the Philippine setting MCE
values may not be readily available.

Table 1 Five Editions of the NSCP

Edition/
Volume
1st
Edition
1st
Edition
2nd
Edition
3rd
Edition

Printing

Year

--

1972

2nd
printing
--

1977
1982

--

1987

4th
Edition
Vol. 1

--

1992

4th
Edition
Vol. 1

3rd
printing

1996

1st
Edition
Vol. 2

--

1997

5th
Edition
Vol. 1

--

2001

1st
Edition
Vol. 2

2nd
printing

2007

Title
National Structural
Code for Buildings
National Structural
Code for Buildings
National Structural
Code for Buildings
National Structural
Code of the
Philippines
National Structural
Code of the
Philippines Vol. 1
(Buildings, Towers,
and Other Vertical
Structures)
National Structural
Code of the
Philippines Vol. 1
(Buildings, Towers,
and Other Vertical
Structures)
National Structural
Code of the
Philippines Vol. 2
(Roads, Highways,
Bridges)
National Structural
Code of the
Philippines Vol. 1
(Buildings, Towers,
and Other Vertical
Structures)
National Structural
Code of the
Philippines Vol. 2
(Roads, Highways,

Short
Form
NSCB1972
NSCB1972
NSCB1982
NSCP1987
NSCP1992

NSCP1992

NSCP1997

NSCP2001

NSCP1997

Bridges)
Table 2 Code Bases of the NSCP
NSCP
Edition
NSCB-1972
NSCB-1982
NSCP-1987
NSCP-1992
NSCP-1997
NSCP-2001

Code Bases
UBC 1970
UBC 1978
UBC 1985, AISC-ASD, ACI 318-83
SEAOC 1988, UBC 1988, ACI 318-89
AASHTO 1992
UBC 1997, ASCE7-95, ACI 318-95, AISC
9th Ed.

1.2 Code Basis of the NSCP

The next question that might be asked is: What code should
we base the NSCP on? We could look at the history of the
code basis of the NSCP in Table 2.
Since the update of NSCP-2001, the ASCE7-95 has had 3
updates, and the UBC 1997 has been replaced by the IBC
which has three (3) versions already and that is talking only
about US-based codes. Elsewhere, the Joint Australian /
New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) and the Architectural
Institute of Japans Recommendations for Loads on
Buildings (AIJ-RLB), for example, have been recently
updated with provisions particularly in wind loading that are
far more advanced than those in America.
Due to recent strong typhoons that caused extensive
damages in the Philippines, many truss-type structures such
as antenna and transmission towers and billboards collapsed.
The NSCP nor the ASCE7-95 wind loading provisions do
not have very specific guidance on the structural design of
antenna towers and transmission towers in particular.
Meanwhile, there is the ASCE74-91 which provides guide as
to the loads on transmission towers. There is also the
ANSI/EIA/TIA-222 series of documents, with its G
version released in late 2005, which is targeted specifically
for loads on antennas and antenna supporting structures.
The latest edition of the NSCP provides very restrictive
provisions on the design of up to two-story dwelling and
residential houses. With the intensive housing program of
the national and local governments, including nongovernment organizations like Gawad Kalinga (GK),
Habitat for Community, etc., CSC has created the housing
sub-committee to formulate the first housing code of the
Philippines (NSCP v3) which will cater to the design and
construction of affordable shelter and housing structures.
Batas Pambansa (BP) No. 220 or the Law on Socialized
Housing Projects in the Philippines has failed to address the
safety requirements on the design of up to two-story
dwelling and residential houses particularly the wind and
earthquake loadings. This NSCP v3 intends to address these
safety issues.
The CSC through the corresponding sub-committee on
foundations and geomaterials intends to expand pertinent
provisions in the 2001 NSCP Vol. 1 edition to include
recommendations on the scope and methodology to be used
in subsurface investigations, determination of allowable

capacities of foundations, evaluating stability of slopes, and

assessing liquefaction potential. The scope of the provisions
will be expanded to include the treatment of all geomaterials,
including soils, rocks and intermediate materials. The
subcommittee also aims to include recommendations
governing the use of ground improvement procedures.

LONG-TERM PLAN OF ACTION

2.1 Three-year Term for the Codes and Standards

Committee Members
The ASEP Codes and Standards Committee, through its
board resolution promulgated in June 2007, may be
considered as one of the standing committees of the ASEP
where its members will be appointed with a minimum threeyear term. This move aims to ensure continuity of the Codes
and Standards Committee when the managing director
designated is no longer elected in the ASEP Board.
The current CSC Executive Committee is composed of the
following personalities:

Wilfredo S. Lopez, F.ASEP (ASEP President 20082009)

Christopher PT. Tamayo, F.ASEP (ASEP Past

President 2007-2008)

Adam C. Abinales, F.ASEP (ASEP Vice-President

2008-2009)

Emilio M. Morales, F.ASEP (Overall Chairman,

CSC Coordinating Group)

The main eleven (11) sub-committees of the CSC and the

respective chairman/co-chairman are as follows:

General Requirements (Loads and Actions): Carlos

Villaraza (Chairman), Virgilio Columna, F.ASEP
and Peter Tolentino (Co-Chairmen)

Steel and Metal: Anthony Vladimir Pimentel,

F.ASEP (Chairman), Gilbert Magbutay and
Frederick Sison (Co- Chairmen)

Structural Concrete: Jorge Genota, FASEP

(Chairman), Romeo Estaero, Ph.D, F.ASEP (CoChairman)

Wood and Masonry: Christopher PT. Tamayo

(Chair), Alan Aban (Co-Chair)

Foundations and Geo-Materials: Mark Albert Zarco,

Ph.D (Chairman), Roy Anthony Luna (CoChairman)

Bridges (NSCP v2): Alberto Canete, F.ASEP

(Chairman), Edwin Matanguihan (Co-Chairman)

Housing (NSCP v3): Miriam Lusica-Tamayo ,

F.ASEP (Chairman), George Richard Siton and
Ruth Mabilangan (Co-Chairmen)

Railways (NSCP v4): Josefina Dilig-Lagmay

(Chairperson),
Winnie-Ann
Bulactial
(CoChairperson)

Tall Buildings Ronaldo Ison, F.ASEP (Chairman),

Virgilio Columna, F.ASEP (Co-Chairman)

suggested:

IBC 2003 (general loads, earthquake loads)

Standards Vinci Nicolas Villaseor, F.ASEP

(Chairman), Ronaldo Ison, F.ASEP (Co-Chairman)

IBC 2006 (general loads, earthquake loads)

Ports and Harbor (NSCP v5): Eduardo Arrojado,

F.ASEP (Chairman)

ASCE 7-05 (general loads, wind loads)

ANSI/EIA/TIA-222-G-2005 (loads on antennas and

antenna supporting structures)

AISC-LRFD 3rd Ed., AISC-ASD 13th Ed., AISI

2007 (steel design)

ACI 318-2008 (concrete design)

AREMA (railways design)

The managing director for the Codes and Standards

Committee from 2007 to present is Adam Abinales.
The Codes and Standards Committee has set a regular
meeting held every first week of the month subject to the
availability of the committee members (chairman and cochairmen).
2.2 Regular Monthly Meeting
On the very first meeting of the committee, the plans and
projects of the CSC for the year 2007-2008 were discussed.
Initially, it was made clear to the group that the intent for
this year is basically not to update the entire NSCP Vol. 1
(5th edition). The group would work on the update of the
NSCP Vol. 1 by section/chapter. As suggested and presented,
the group would start on the update of the section/chapter on
LOADS AND ACTIONS. In this undertaking, comparison
of IBC 2006 and IBC 2003 with the current earthquake load
provisions of the NSCP, and comparison of ASCE 7-02 and
TIA/EIA-222-G with the current NSCP wind load provisions
were conceived.
The following suggestive points were raised during the
discussions as follows:

To rationalize the philosophy of the loads and

actions provisions from the respective codes to be
used / adopted for the NSCP Vol. 1 update; whether
to come up with performance-based code.

To review the existing wind speed / wind zone map

and existing seismic zone map being used in the
current code and to involve the respective
government agencies to tackle on these data;

To expand the earthquake load provisions of the

current code with the inclusion of geohazard
mapping;

US-based codes are still the primary codes being considered

for compatibility with earlier NSCP editions which have
been historically based on US codes. However, there are
certain items in codes from other countries that are not being
considered in US codes. In wind loading, these include
accounting for across-wind loading and checking of windinduced acceleration levels for occupant comfort, which are
checked in Australian and Japanese codes. [Aquino, 2005]
2.4 Independent Updates of NSCP Sections and
Corresponding CSC Activities
Note that each basis code / document is updated
independently of each other. It was then decided that the
Codes and Standards Committee shall update each section of
the code independently.
As such, the activities of the CSC have generally been
geared towards each individual section. One activity that
the committee has planned to hold regularly is the
facilitation of a forum amongst ASEP members with invited
experts from outside ASEP to talk about specific sections of
the codes.
It has been likewise primarily decided that the section on
Loads and Actions shall be up for updating first. As such,
the very first activity that the committee has organized was
the 1st ASEP Forum on Loads and Actions, which is
summarized next.

1ST ASEP FORUM ON LOADS AND ACTIONS

The 1st ASEP Forum on Loads and Actions was held on

December 6, 2007 at the PHIVOLCS Auditorium in Diliman,
Quezon City. This forum has the following objectives:

To update the wind zone map by considering

micro-zonation;

To include commentary in the proposed update of

the section / chapter;

to determine the necessity of upgrading the current

code on Loads and Actions provisions; and

To hold a forum/workshop (to be sponsored by

ASEP
through
Continuing
Professional
Development (CPD) and Codes and Standards (CS)
committees) on the proposed update in order to get
inputs / ideas from the senior practicing engineers/
specialists of the PICE/ASEP.

to determine from concerned government agencies

such as PHIVOLCS, PAGASA, DENR available
data / information about earthquake, wind and
hazard mapping that will be needed in the update.

2.3 Code Bases for NSCP Update

The Codes and Standards Committee since being formed has
started to discuss the codes that will be used as bases for the
NSCP updates. The following US-based codes have been

This is the first of the series of ASEP forum on Structural

Codes, in which this first forum was entitled ASEP Forum
on National Structural Code on Loads and Actions.
Different experts both from within ASEP and from other
fields were invited to speak on different topics related to
Loads and Actions, as follows:

B.M. Pacheco (Chairman, Civil Engineering

Department, UP Diliman; Chairman, Vibrametrics,
Inc.; Chairman, PICE National Committee on
DMAPS and DQRP), on Disaster Mitigation and
Preparedness, Typhoon Engineering, and Wind
Speed Maps

1ST MULTI-STAKEHOLDERS FORUM ON

NATIONAL STRUCTURAL CODES AND
STANDARDS

Initially, as CSC members has further deliberated on the

update of the NSCP to consider the whole publication and
expand its publication to include housing and railways, the
1st Multi-Stakeholders Forum on National Structural Codes
and Standards was held on August 22, 2008 at the
PHIVOLCS Auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City. This
forum has the following objectives:

M.A.H. Zarco (Chairman, Engineering Sciences

Department, UP Diliman), on Failure Mechanism
of the 17 February 2006 Guinsaugon RockslideDebris Avalanche, Philippines

K.L. Queano (MGB Geohazard Assessment Team),

on National Geohazard Mapping and Assessment
Program of the Mines and Geosciences BureauDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources
(MGB-DENR)

to assess the current status of NSCP in relation with

prevailing international codes;

to solicit commitment from various stakeholders to

participate in the committee workgroups of CSC;
and

E.L. Juanillo (Supervising Weather Specialist,

PAGASA), on Wind Meteorology

to establish milestones and road maps

Among the issues discussed during the forum are:

The Codes and Standards Committee may consider

the suggestion that a follow-up consultation
meeting with engineers from leading consulting
firms be conducted with regards to the update of
the earthquake and wind load provisions of the
NSCP based on the IBC2003 or 2006 and ASCE705, respectively.

Floor discussion on PAGASA presentation

regarding the need to consider increase of the wind
zoning of the Philippines based on statistical data of
wind speed over Philippine area of responsibility.

Floor discussion on the need of integrating the

provisions of TIA/EIA with regards to analysis and
design of vertical tower structures in Section 207 of
NSCP.
Floor discussion on the need to consider IBC 2003
or IBC 2006 earthquake provisions in Section 208
of NSCP.

Since the forum, the following had been up on the

committees agenda:

Conduct follow-up discussion after the ASEP

Forum on Structural Codes on Loads and Actions
held last December 6, 2007 at the PHIVOLCS
Auditorium.

Discuss next plans and actions based on the

presentation of resource persons regarding the wind
and earthquake loadings to be integrated in the
proposed revisions of the specific wind and
earthquake provisions of NSCP.

Outline specific provisions of the IBC 2003/2006

and ASCE7-05 that will be adapted to be
incorporated in the NSCP update of Sections 207
and 208.

Other matters related to the General Requirements

provisions of NSCP.

This is the second of the series of ASEP forum on Codes and

Standards, in which this forum was entitled MultiStakeholders Forum on National Structural Codes and
Standards. Different stakeholders within the engineering
and construction industry and from the government,
academe and business community were invited to participate
and were tapped to be resource persons and members of the
following workgroups:

Workgroup on General Requirements (Loads and

Actions) as facilitated by Prof. Ignacio Ulpiano

Workgroup on Steel and Metal as reported by Engr.

Anthony Vladimir Pimentel

Workgroup on Structural Concrete as reported by

Engr. Jorge Genota

Workgroup on Foundation and Geo-Materials as

reported by Dr. Mark Zarco

Workgroup on Bridges (NSCP v2) as reported by

Engr. Arwin Salih

Workgroup on Housing (NSCP v3) as reported by

Engr. Richard George Siton

Workgroup on Railways (NSCP v4) as reported by

Engr. Winnie-Ann Bulactial

The following were identified as stakeholders of this

momentous undertaking of the CSC:

Government agencies such as DOST-PAGASA,

DOST-PHIVOLCS, DENR-EMB, DOTC, DPWH,
DND-OCD-NDCC,
HLURB,
Bureau
of
Forestry/UPLB, local government Building
Officials

Engineering Consultants / Practicing Civil

Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers and Structural
Engineers / PICE Members / ASEP Members /
Members of the Academe

Trade Associations / Manufacturers and Suppliers /

Builders and Contractors / Developers / Service

Providers (end users)

CODES AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE

PLANNING WORKSHOP

The CSC Coordinating Group members held its planning

workshop in January 30-31, 2009 at the Retreat House of
CBCP Training Center in Tagaytay City. This successful
two-day workshop was facilitated by Engr. Emil Morales
and the following activities were done:

Progress reports of each sub-committee were

presented which include the general strategies on
the proposed changes that will form part of the
NSCP update;

Each sub-committee submitted potential sponsors

to be tapped to be partners in the noble undertaking
of NSCP update;

Discussion on the interfacing of the related subcommittees, seamless integration strategies, crossreferencing issues of relevant code features,
potential interfacing problems and detailed
proposed changes in the entire NSCP; and

Discussion on the timetable for the NSCP update

On the second day of the workshop, Engr. Emil Morales

presented a briefing on Where Are We Now? and
discussed the expected outcome of the two-day planning
workshop which was successfully achieved by the
coordinating group.
At the end of the second day, CSC has discussed and
subsequently resolved the following issues regarding the
final outcome of the NSCP publication:

The timeline for the release of the updated NSCP

publication

How to improve the current NSCP publication as to

its format, content and distribution

SPONSORS NIGHT

In order to defray the cost of updating and publishing the

NSCP volumes set to be released late this year 2009, the
ASEP-Codes and Standards Committee through its ways and
means sub-committee held its first ever Sponsors Night in
March 13, 2009 at the Rockwell Club Center in Makati City.
This momentous event was made successful with the
generous P100,000.00 pledge and sponsorship of the
following donors:

Unitan Construction represented by Mr. Neil Tan

Deecon represented by Ms. Ely Dee

Hilti represented by Mr. Ramil Crisolo

Engineering Equipment Incorporated

represented by Mr. Tony Pascua

PGATech represented by Mr. Mark Morales

First Philippine Balfuor represented by Mr. Tito

Fernandez

(EEI)

Pozzolanic Philippines, Inc. represented by Mr. Tim

Schroeder

ACS Chemicals represented by Mr. Al Supetran

The event was highlighted with the presentation of these

sponsors after a sumptuous dinner cocktail catered by Le
Souffl. Engr. Adam Abinales made a brief presentation on
Why Update NSCP Now? in order to explain to the
sponsors the main purpose of the noble undertaking to which
they are supporting financially while Engr. Emil Morales
discussed on Why the Sponsors Night? to explain to the
sponsors the objectives of the occasion that night.

CONCLUSION

The ASEP Codes and Standards Committee have seriously

started to re-convene and there are plans that have been laid
out within the three-year term (2007-2010) of the current
members of the committee. We should expect at least an
update of the National Structural Code of the Philippines
before the end of the current year 2009. CSC has set the
release of the following volumes late this year 2009:

NSCP Vol. 1 Buildings, Towers and Other

Vertical Structures

NSCP Vol. 2 Roads, Highways and Bridges

NSCP Vol. 3 Housing

However, the sub-committee on Railways vows to release its

NSCP Vol. 4 in the first quarter of the coming year 2010.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We thank the participants and speakers at the 1st ASEP
Forum on Loads and Actions, the stakeholders who attended
and participated in the 1st Multi-Stakeholders Forum on
National Structural Codes and Standards, the generous
sponsors which supported and are continuously supporting
this noble task of updating the NSCP, the workgroup
committee chairpersons of the Codes and Standards
Committee and the ASEP Board of Directors and Officers of
fiscal years 2007-2008 led by Christopher PT. Tamayo and
2008-2009 led by Wilfredo Lopez.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Adam C. Abinales, F.ASEP, PICE, is the Managing Principal
of Adam Abinales Engineering & Consultancy and
accredited civil-structural engineer/consultant of Smart
Communications, Philippine Long Distance Telephone
Company, Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc., Bayan
Telecommunications, Ericsson Communications, SMEC
Philippines, Tricore Solutions, Inc. He is currently the
Vice-President and Managing Director of Codes and
Standards Committee of ASEP and a member of the
PICE-ASEP Disaster Quick Response Program (DQRP).
He is presently a member of the Faculty of the
Department of Civil Engineering in Mapua Institute of
Technology.
E-mail: abinales_adam@yahoo.com or
aaeplusc@yahoo.com.

Emilio M. Morales, F.ASEP, PICE, is the President of EM2

and Partners and PGA Tech. He is the Overall Chairman
of the Codes and Standards Committee Coordinating
Group and concurrently the Chairman of PICE National
Geotechnical Engineering Division and was a former
Senior Lecturer at the Graduate Division, School of Civil
Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman in
Quezon City. He has a Master of Science in Civil
Engineering major in Geotechnics and Structures which
he obtained at Carnegie Mellon University in Piitsburgh,
PA. E-mail: emmorales07@gmail.com.
Ronwaldo Aquino, MSCE, M.ASEP, M.PICE, is a structural
engineer at Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong Ltd,
(Philippines Branch). He is currently a member of the
Codes and Standards Committee of ASEP wherein he is a
resource person in the sub-committee for General
Requirements (Loads and Actions). He is also a member
of the PICE National Committee on Disaster Mitigation
and Preparedness Strategies (PICE DMAPS). E-mail:
ronwaldo.aquino@arup.com or ronjie@gmail.com.
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