9/7/2021 1.1.

General Provisions for National Building Code of the Philippines: CE 013-CE31S7 - Building Systems Design

1.1. General Provisions for National Building

Code of the Philippines
Codes and Standards are the essential foundations of any building. These are the guidelines that
designers strictly adhere to when it comes to their designs. These provide safeguards against
anonymity in designs since these codes and standards are proven to be effective in their own
respective fields of specialization. These standards create uniformity in various designs based on
what reference they sourced their standards.

In the Philippines, we have the National Building Code of the Philippines as the governing standard
when it comes to building design. It was formerly signed as a Presidential Decree 1096
(https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1977/02/19/presidential-decree-no-1096-s-1977/) by the former
president Ferdinand E. Marcos in February 19, 1977 which decrees and act to adopt a national
building code in the Philippines as implemented by the Republic Act 6541.

The National Building Code of the Philippines is the policy of the Philippines to safeguard life, health,
property, and public welfare, that is consistent with the principles of sound environmental
management and control. The purpose of this Code is to provide for all buildings and structures, a
framework of minimum standards and requirements to regulate and control their location, site,
design, quality of materials, construction, use, occupancy, and maintenance.

Scope and Application

The provisions of this Code shall apply to the design, location, sitting, construction, alteration, repair,
conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance, moving, demolition of, and addition to public and private
buildings and structures, except traditional indigenous family dwellings as defined in the Code.

Building and/or structures constructed before the approval of this Code shall not be affected thereby
except when alterations, additions, conversions or repairs are to be made therein in which case, this
Code shall apply only to portions to be altered, added, converted or repaired.

General Building Requirements

As stated by the National Building Code of the Philippines:

All buildings or structures as well as accessory facilities shall conform in all respects to the
principles of safe construction and must be suited to the purpose for which they are designed

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9/7/2021 1.1. General Provisions for National Building Code of the Philippines: CE 013-CE31S7 - Building Systems Design

Buildings or structures intended to be used for the manufacture and/or production of any kind
of product shall observe adequate environmental safeguards
Buildings or structures and all its parts as well as all facilities found within it shall be
maintained in safe, sanitary and good working condition

Site Requirements

Aside from the building itself, the site in which the building stands should conform with the National
Building Code of the Philippines. This land or site upon which will be constructed with any building or
structure, or any ancillary or auxiliary facility, should be sanitary, hygienic or safe. In the case of sites
or buildings intended for human habitation, the land or site should also be sanitary, hygienic or safe
within a safe distance, as determined by competent authorities, from streams or bodies of water
and/or sources considered to be polluted; from a volcano or volcanic site and/or any other building
that is considered to be a potential source of fire or explosion.

References:

National Building Code of the Philippines.

(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KSOEoEpWSYSvkImSzd_vfxkrvFaiRpSf/view?usp=sharing)

Presidential Decree 1096. Official Gazette PH. Retrieved from:

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1977/02/19/presidential-decree-no-1096-s-1977/
(https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1977/02/19/presidential-decree-no-1096-s-1977/)

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