Reference: NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES (NBCP) THEREBY

REVISING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE (R.A. No.

6541) https://ray.dilg.gov.ph/files/national_building_code_of_the_philippines.pdf
Laws according to the national building code to the Philippines
CHAPTER VI FIRE-RESISTIVE REQUIREMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION
- Section 601. Fire-Resistive Rating Defined.
The degree to which a material can survive fire as established by generally recognized and
agreed testing techniques is known as its fire-resistive rating.

- Section 602. Fire-Resistive Time Period Rating.

The amount of time a material can survive being burned is determined by its fire-resistive
time period rating, which can be one hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, and so on.

- Section 603. Fire-Resistive Standards.

All building materials, assemblies, and combinations of them must be classified according to
their fire-retardant or flame-spread ratings, as determined by generally accepted testing
procedures and/or the Secretary.

- Section 604. Fire-Resistive Regulations.

The Secretary shall establish standards and adopt rules and regulations for evaluating
flamespread characteristics of construction materials, fire damage tests, fire tests of building
construction and materials, door assemblies, and tinclad fire doors and window assemblies,
installation of fire doors and windows, as well as smoke and fire detectors for a fire
protective signaling system, controlled interior finish application and use, fire-resistive
structural members, fire-resistive walls and partitions, fire-resistive floor or roof ceiling, fire-
resistive assemblies for opening protection, and fire-retardant roof coverings

CHAPTER VII CLASSIFICATION AND GENERAL REQUIREMENT OF ALL BUILDINGS

BY USE OF OCCUPANCY

- Section 701. Occupancy Classified.

Buildings that are proposed for construction must be categorised according to their intended
function or the nature of its occupants:
Group C. Education and Recreation
Buildings used for school or day-care purposes, involving assemblage for instruction,
education, or recreation, and not categorized in Group I, Division 1 and 2, or Group H
Occupancies shall be classified as Group C Occupancies.

- Section 702. Change in Use.

No change in the character of occupancy or use of any building that would place it in a
different division of the same group of occupancies or a different group of occupancies shall
be made unless the building is made to comply with the requirements of this code for that
division or group of occupancies. Existing buildings' occupancy characteristics may be
changed with the Building Official's consent, and the building may be used for purposes
listed in other Groups: If the new or proposed use is less hazardous than the present use in
terms of life and fire risk.

- Section 704. Location of Property.

(a) General.
No Building shall be constructed unless it adjoins or has
direct access to a public space yard or street on at least
one of its sides.

For the purpose of this Section, the center line of an

adjoining street or alley shall be considered an adjacent

property line. The eaves over the requisite windows must be at least 750 millimeters from
the side and back property lines.

(b) Fire Resistance of Walls.

Fire resistance and opening protection shall be provided on exterior walls in accordance with
the Secretary's criteria. Projections beyond the outer wall may not extend beyond a point
one-third the distance from an assumed vertical plane positioned where fire-resistive
protection of openings is initially required to the least restrictive site on the property. The
measurement must be taken at a right angle to the property line. When openings in exterior
walls must be protected due to their proximity to the property line, the total size of such
openings in any storey must not exceed 50% of the total area of the wall in that storey.

(c) Buildings on the Same Property and Court Buildings

Buildings on the same property and court walls are presumed to have a property line
between them for the purposes of determining the required wall and opening protection.
When a new building is to be erected on the same property as an existing building, the
Secretary's distance from the existing building to the property line shall be assumed for each
occupation. If the aggregate area of two or more structures on the same land is within the
limitations of authorized floor areas for a single building, the area shall be that allowed for
the most restricted occupation or construction.

- Section 705. Allowable Floor Areas.

For each occupation category and/or style of construction, the permitted floor space for one-
story structures and buildings over one-story buildings shall not exceed the limits set by the
Secretary. Each component of a building separated by one or more area separation walls
may be considered a separate building for the purposes of this Section if the area separation
walls meet the Secretary's standards.

- Section 707. Maximum Height of Buildings.

The maximum height and number of storeys of any building shall be set by the Secretary
based on the character of occupancy and kind of construction, taking into account population
density, building mass, street widths, and car parking requirements.
The height is determined by measuring the distance between the highest adjacent sidewalk
or ground surface: Provided, however, that the maximum height measured from the lowest
adjoining surface does not exceed 3.00 meters: Except that towers, spires, and steeples
erected as part of a building and not used for habitation or storage are limited in height only
by structural design if constructed entirely of incombustible materials, or may not exceed
6.00 meters above the height limits for each occupancy group if constructed entirely of
combustible materials.

- Section 709. Requirements for Other Group Occupancies.

The Secretary shall establish rules and regulations for each of the various Group
Occupancies, according to the provisions of this Code, covering: Location on property,
escape facilities, light, ventilation, and sanitation; enclosures of vertical apertures; fire
extinguishing systems; and unique dangers.

CHAPTER VIII LIGHT AND VENTILATION

- Section 801. General Requirements of Light and Ventilation.

(a) Every building shall be planned, erected, and equipped to offer appropriate light and
ventilation, subject to the provisions of the Civil Code of the Philippines on Basement of Light
and View and the provisions of this part of the Code.

(b) All structures must face a public street, a public alley, or a private street that has been
approved.

(c) No structure shall be altered or arranged in such a way that the size of any room or the
relative area of windows is reduced to less than that permitted for buildings under this Code,
or that an additional room is created unless it meets the criteria of this Code.

(d) No building shall be expanded to the point that the required court or yard dimensions are
fewer than those specified for the construction.

- Section 802. Measurement of Site Occupancy.

(a) The measurement of site occupancy or lot occupancy must be done on the ground level,
excluding courts, yards, and light wells.

- Section 803. Percentage of Site Occupancy.

(a) Maximum site occupancy is determined by the use, kind of construction, and height of
the building, as well as the use, area, character, and location of the site, all of which are
subject to local zoning standards and the Secretary's rules and regulations.

- Section 805. Ceiling Heights.

(a) Ceiling heights in habitable rooms with artificial ventilation must be at least 2.40 meters
from the floor to the ceiling; Provided, however, that for multi-story buildings, the first storey's
minimum ceiling height shall be 2.70 meters, the second storey's minimum ceiling height
shall be 2.40 meters, and subsequent storeys shall have an unobstructed typical head-room
clearance of not less than 2.10 meters above the finished floor. the above-mentioned rooms
with natural ventilation must have a ceiling height of at least 2.70 meters.

(b) The clear ceiling height above and below mezzanine floors must be at least 1.80 meters.

- Section 807. Air Space Requirements in Determining the Size of

Rooms.
(a) The following is the minimum amount of space that must be provided:
1. Classrooms. Workshops, Factories, and Offices: 3.00 cubic meters with 1.00 square
meter of floor area per person;
2. Workshops, Factories, and Offices: 3.00 cubic meters with 1.00 square meter of floor
area per person
3. Habitable rooms; 12.00 cubic meters of area per person Per person, 14.00 cubic
meters of space are available.

- Section 808. Window Openings

Every room intended for any purpose that is not equipped with an artificial ventilation
system as defined in this Code must have a window or windows with a total free area of
openings equal to at least 10% of the room's floor area, and such window must open
directly to a court, yard, public street or alley, or open water courses.

- Section 809. Vent Shafts

(a) Ventilation or vent shafts must have a horizontal crosssectional area of at least 0.10
square meter for every meter of shaft height, but not less than 1.00 square meter in any
circumstance. The minimum dimension of any vent shaft must be 600 millimeters.
 (b) Skylights. Unless the vent shaft is completely open to the outside, it must be covered
by a skylight with a net free area or fixed louver apertures equal to the maximum
required shaft area.

CHAPTER IX SANITATION

- Section 901. General.

All buildings erected, altered, remodeled, relocated, or repaired for human habitation shall be
provided with adequate and potable water supply, plumbing, and a suitable wastewater
treatment or disposal system, storm water drainage, and storm water drainage, subject to
the provisions of Book II of the Civil Code of the Philippines on Property, Ownership, and its
Modification.

- Section 902. Water Supply System.

Potable water for a building used for human habitation shall be supplied from an existing
municipal or city waterworks system if possible.

- Section 903. Wastewater Disposal System

(a) Building sanitary sewage and neutralized or pretreated industrial wastewater shall be
discharged directly into the nearest street sanitary sewer main of an existing municipal or
city sanitary sewerage system, in accordance with the criteria established by the
National Pollution Control Commission and the Code on Sanitation.

(c) All buildings in locations without a sanitary sewerage system must dispose of their
sewage in a "Imhoff" or septic tank, as well as a subsurface absorption field.

- Section 904. Storm Drainage System.

(a) Rainwater drainage must not enter the sanitary sewage system.
(a) Appropriate provisions for draining low areas in buildings and their premises must be
made.

CHAPTER X BUILDING PROJECTION OVER PUBLIC STREETS

- Section 1001. General Requirements.

(a) Except as permitted in this Code, no part of any building or structure, or any of its
appendages, must project beyond the property line of the construction site.
(b) The distance measured horizontally from the property line to the projection's outermost
point constitutes the projection of any structure or appendage over public property.

- Section 1007. Doors, Windows, and the like.

Except for fire exit doors, doors, windows, and the like that are less than 2.40 meters above
the pavement or ground line must not project over the property line when fully opened or
upon opening.

CHAPTER XII GENERAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

- Section 1201. General Requirements.

All regulations and requirements controlling quality, qualities, and features of materials,
techniques of design and construction, type of occupancy, and classification must be
followed by buildings proposed for construction.
The provisions of the National Structural Code of Buildings, as adopted and promulgated by
the Board of Civil Engineering pursuant to Republic Act Number 544, as amended,
otherwise known as the "Civil Engineering Law," shall apply to all other matters relating to
the structural design of all buildings and other structures not covered by this Chapter.

- Section 1204. Enclosure of Vertical Openings.

General. Vertical openings must be enclosed if the fire-resistive requirements of a specific
type of structure are met, as specified in this Code.

- Section 1206. Roof Construction and Covering.

(d) Roof Drainage System.
(1) Roof Drains Roof drains must be built at low areas on the roof and be large enough to
drain all tributary waters.
(2) Scuppers and Overflow Drains Appropriate overflow drains must be supplied if roof
drains are required.

- Section 1207. Stairs, Exits and Occupant Loads.

(a) General. Stairs and exits must meet the following occupant load standards for buildings,
reviewing stands, bleachers, and grandstands:
(1) Occupant Loads are calculated. Divide the floor space assigned to that use by the unit
area allowed per occupant as decided by the Secretary to determine the occupant load
permissible in any building or portion thereof.

(2) Requirements for Exit. The occupant load that results in the greatest number of people
determines the exit needs of a building or portion of a building utilized for various purposes.
Except for projections allowed by this Code, no barrier shall be placed in the requisite width
of an exit.
(b) Exits
The total number of exits There must be at least one exit in every building or useable
component thereof. Floors above the first storey with an occupant load of more than 10 must
have at least two exits in all occupancies. Each mezzanine floor utilized for purposes other
than storage must have at least two stairways to an adjacent floor if it is larger than 185
square meters in area or more than 18.00 meters in any dimension.
c) The doors. The provisions of this section apply to any exit door serving an area with more
than ten occupants or serving hazardous rooms or locations.
(d) Exterior Exit Balconies and Corridors. The provisions of this section apply to every
hallway and external exit balcony that serves as a required exit for a group of more than ten
people.
- Section 1212. Fire-Extinguishing Systems.
(a) Fire-Extinguishing Equipment Standard automatic fire-extinguishing systems must be
installed in the following locations and in the manner specified in this Code as required.
(1) Every storey, basement, or cellar having a floor area of 200 square meters or more that
is used for housing, recreation, dining, study, or work and has more than 20 occupants.