RULE 9 – SANITATION

Basic Sanitation Provisions

• All buildings shall be provided with the ff:

o Adequate and potable water supply
o Adequate plumbing installation
o Suitable wastewater treatment/disposal system
o Storm water drainage

Water Source

• Potable water shall be sourced from the existing municipal waterworks system whenever possible.

Water Quality

• Shall conform to the criteria in the National Standards for Drinking Water.

Water Waste Disposal

• Sanitary sewage from buildings shall be discharged directly into the nearest street sanitary sewer main.
• If no sanitary sewerage system is available, septic tanks may be used.
• criteria set by the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR).

Noise Pollution Control

• Industrial establishments shall be provided with positive noise abatement devices to tone down the noise level
of equipment and machineries to acceptable limits set down by the Department of Labor and Employment and
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
• Noise as an unwanted sound both in quality and intensity and excessive vibration whose sources in
building/structure construction shall conform to acceptable limits the required emission standards of DENR.

Storm Drainage

• Rainwater drainage shall not discharge into the sanitary system.

National Plumbing Code

• All plumbing installations (water supply and drainage) shall conform to the National Plumbing Code.

Pipe Materials

• All pipe materials to be used in buildings/structures shall conform to the standard specifications of the Bureau
of Product Standards (BPS) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
 RULE 10 – BUILDING PROJECTION OVER PUBLIC STREETS

Projection into Alleys or Streets or RROW

• No part of any structure or its appendage shall project into any alley or street, national road or public
highway except as provided in the Code.
• National roads or public highways:
o 2.40 below grade = 300mm (footings located at least 2.40m below grade may project 300mm
(maximum) beyond the property line).
• Public sidewalk:
o 600 mm below grade = 500mm (Foundations may encroach 500mm into the sidewalk if top of
foundation is at least 600mm below grade.)
• In all cases, these projections shall not obstruct any utilities/services, unless the owner is willing to pay
for the rerouting of said utilities/services.

Projection of Balconies and Appendages Over Streets

• 3.00m minimum = clearance between the established grade of the street and/ or sidewalk and the lowest
under surface of any part of the balcony.

Arcades

• Arcades may be constructed on sidewalks of streets whenever allowed or required by existing building and
zoning regulations.
• 3.00m minimum = clear height from established sidewalk grade.

Canopy (Marquee)

• Canopy or Marquee is a permanent roofed structure above a door attached to and supported by the building
and projecting over a wall or sidewalk. This includes any object or decoration attached thereto.
• Projection and Clearances.
o 300 mm = horizontal clearance = outermost edge – curb line
o 3.00 m = vertical clearance = ground line – undersurface part
• Construction. A marquee shall be constructed of incombustible material or materials of not less than two-
hours fire-resistive construction.
Awnings

• Awning is a movable shelter supported entirely from an exterior wall of a building and of a type which can be
retracted, folded, or collapsed against the face of a supporting building.
• Clearance.
o 300mm minimum = horizontal clearance = awning – curb line
o 2.40m minimum = vertical clearance = undermost surface – ground line

Doors, Windows, and the Like

• 2.40 meters minimum above the pavement = no door or window shall project beyond the property line
when fully opened or upon opening.

Chaflan

• 4.00m wide = less than 3.60m public street

 RULE 11 – PROTECTION OF PEDESTRIANS DURING CONSTRUCTION OR DEMOLITION

Pedestrian Protection

No person shall use or occupy a street, alley or public sidewalk for the performance or work covered by a building
permit except in accordance with the provisions of this Rule.

No person shall perform any work or any building/structure adjacent to a public way in general use for pedestrian travel,
unless the pedestrians are protected as specified in this Rule.

Storage in Public Property

• shall not obstruct free and convenient approach to and use of any fire hydrant, fire or police alarm box, utility
box, catch basin, or manhole and
• shall not interfere with any drainage of any street or alley, gutter, and
• with the safe and smooth flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Mixing Mortar on Public Property

The mixing of mortar, concrete, or similar materials on public streets shall not be allowed.

Temporary Walkway

• 1.20m minimum = temporary walkway

• 600mm reduced = no sidewalk
• No temporary walkways if RROW is 5.00m
• If the sidewalk will only be partially occupied, a temporary walkway will not be required provided that a width
of at least 600mm with railings on the roadside is left open.
• Provide railings (1.00m min. height) for walkways located beside the road or an excavation.

Fence and Canopies

• 2.40m above curb = minimum height

• When the horizontal distance between the OFB and the inner edge or the sidewalk is more than ½ the
building height, only a 2.40m high fence is required.
 RULE 12 - GENERAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

General Requirements

Buildings proposed for construction shall comply with all the regulations and specifications including safety standards
embodied in the Administrative Order of DOLE herein set forth governing quality, characteristics and properties of
materials, methods of design and construction, type of occupancy and classification.

For the guidance of the general public, the Secretary shall periodically issue generic lists of approved, strictly
regulated or banned items, procedures, usages and the like relative to the design, construction and use/occupancy
of buildings/structures:

Excavation, Foundation, and Retaining Walls

Excavation and other similar disturbances made on public property shall, unless otherwise excluded by the Building
Official, be restored immediately to its former condition within 48 hours from the start of such excavation and
disturbances by whosoever caused such excavation or disturbance.

Before commencing the excavation, the person making or causing the excavation to be made shall notify in writing the
owners of adjoining buildings not less than ten (10) days before such excavation is to be made and that the adjoining
buildings will be protected by him.

• Excavations must not endanger life or property

• Any person undertaking an excavation shall ensure that the soil of the adjoining property will not cave in or
settle.
• Cut slopes shall not be steeper than 2:1 (horizontal : vertical).

Veneer

Veneer is a nonstructural facing of brick, concrete, tile, metal, plastic, glass, or other similar approved materials
attached to a backing or structural components of the building for the purpose of ornamentation, protection, or enclosure
that may be adhered, integrated, or anchored either on the interior or exterior of the building or structure.

Occupant Load

Shall be determined by dividing the floor area assigned to that use by the unit area allowed per occupant as shown on
Table XII.1.
Number of Exits

• 1 exit = every building

• 2 exits = above first storeys in all occupancies.
• 2 exits = above 2nd storey, basements, cellars.
• 2 stairway exits = Mezzanine Floor = greater than 185 sqm. or more than 18.00 meters.
• 3 exits = 500 to 999 occupant loads
• 4 exits = 1000 or more occupant loads

Width of Exits

• The total width of exits in meters = occupant load / one hundred sixty-five (165).
• Arrangement of Exits.
o 2 exits required = distance apart not less than 1/5 perimeter area.
o 3 exits or more required = reasonable distance.
• Distance to Exits.
o 45.00 meters = no sprinkler system
o 60.00 meters = with automatic extinguishing system.

Exit Doors

• Exit door shall swing in the direction of exit travel when serving any hazardous areas or when serving an
occupant load of fifty (50) or more.
• Double acting doors shall not be used as exits serving a tributary occupant load of more than one hundred
(100).
• Size of Doors.
o 900mm minimum = width
o 2.00m minimum = height
o 700mm = clear width of exit way
o 1.20m maximum = door leaf width
• Prohibited Doors.
o Revolving Doors
o Sliding Doors
o Overhead Doors
• Change in Floor Level at Doors.
o There shall be a floor or landing on each side of an exit door.
o The floor or landing shall be leveled with, or not more than 50 millimeters lower than the threshold
of the doorway: Except, that in Group A and B Occupancies, a door may open on the top step of a
flight of stairs or an exterior landing provided the door does not swing over the top step or exterior
landing and the landing is not more than 200 millimeters below the floor level.

Corridors

• 1.10m minimum width

• This width shall be unobstructed, except those trim handrails and door when fully opened shall not reduce the
required with by more than 200mm.
• Doors in any position shall not reduce the width by more than ½.
• 6.00m maximum = DEAD ENDS.
Stairways

• Width
o 1.10 meters = 50 occupant load or more.
o 900 mm = 50 occupant load or less.
o 750 mm = 10 occupant load or less.
o 100 mm = trim and handrails.

• Rise and Run.

o 200 mm = rise
o 250 mm = run
o 5 mm = maximum variations height of risers and width of threads in one flight

• Winding Stairways
o not more than 300mm, not less than 150mm = width of run

• Circular Stairways
o not less than 250mm, 5mm flight threads = width of run

• Landings.
o Not more than 1.2m, not more than 100mm reduced by a door.

• Basement Stairways. Where a basement stairway and a stairway to an upper storey terminate in the same
exit enclosure, an approved barrier shall be provided to prevent persons from continuing on to the basements.

• Distance Between Landings.

o not more than 3.60 meters vertical distance between landings.

• Handrails
o 3.00 m width
o 800mm – 900mm = above tread nosing
o 1 handrail = stairways less than 1.10m = 1 individual dwelling
o 4 risers = no handrails needed

• Exterior Stairway Protection. All openings in the exterior wall below or within 3.00 meters, measured
horizontally, of an exterior exit stairway serving a building over two storeys in height shall be protected by a
self-closing fire assembly having a three-fourth - hour fire-resistive rating; Except, that openings may be
unprotected when two separated exterior stairways serve an exterior exit balcony.

Aisles

• One side serving = 800 mm

• Both sides serving = 1.00 meters
• 30 mm increase for every meter in length towards exit.
• Side aisles = 1.10 meters
• Exit Distance
o Not more than 45.00 meters = Groups H, I, without seats
o Not more than 7 seats between wall and aisle, not more than 14 seats between aisles.
o 30 seats = increase between aisles = 1 pair of exit doors alongside aisles per 5 rows of seats =
1m back-to-back.
o 1.70 meters = exit doors width.
Seats

• Seat Spacing
o Standard seating = back-to-back shall be not less than 840 millimeters.
o Continental seating = the spacing of rows of unoccupied seats shall provide a clear width measured
horizontally, as follows:
▪ 450 millimeters clear for rows of eighteen (18) seats or less
▪ 500 millimeters clear for rows of thirty-five (35) seats or less;
▪ 525 millimeters clear for rows of forty-five (45) seats or less;
▪ 550 millimeters clear for rows of forty-six (46) seats or more.
• The width of any seat shall be not less than 450 millimeters.

Grandstand/bleachers Spacing of Seats

• Row Spacing.
o 600 millimeters for seats without backrests in open air stands;
o 750 millimeters for seats with backrests;
o 850 millimeters for chair seating.
o There shall be a space of not less than 300 millimeters between the back of each seat and the
front of the seat immediately behind it.

• Rise Between Rows.

o The maximum rise from one row of seats to the next shall not exceed 400 millimeters.

• Seating Capacity.
o width of any seat shall not be less than 450 millimeters nor more than 480 millimeters.

• Number of Seats Between Aisles.

o The number of seats between any seat and an aisle shall not be greater than fifteen (15).

Fire Extinguishing Systems

• Automatic fire extinguishing systems are required for the following

o Habitable storeys with an area of 200 sqm or more with an occupant load of more than 20.
o Dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms, workshops or factories with occupant load of more than 10.
o Assembly halls under Group H and I with occupant load of more than 500.

• Dry Standpipes
o All buildings 4 or more storeys in height shall be equipped with one or more dry standpipes.
o Standpipes shall be located within enclosed stairway landings.
o Siamese connections shall be located on the street-front of a building 300mm-1200mm above
grade.

• Wet Standpipes
o The following shall have wet standpipes:
▪ Group H or I occupancy of any height
▪ Group C occupancy 2 or more storeys in height
▪ Groups B, D, E F and G 3 or more storeys in height
▪ Group G and E occupancy over 1800 sqm in area
o Exemption: Group H buildings without stage whose seating capacity is less than 500.

• Locations
o 6.00m = distance nozzle attached to hose
o 23.00m = hose length
o 58.00m = standpipes
RULE 13 – ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL REGULATIONS

Referral Codes

• All electrical systems and installations shall conform to the provisions of the Philippine Electrical Code
pursuant to RA 7920 (Electrical Engg. Law).
• All mechanical systems and installations shall conform to the provisions of the Philippine Mechanical Code
pursuant to RA 8495 (Mech. Engg. Law).

Clearance of service drops

• 2.50m = highest point of roofs

• 3.00m = the ground
• 1.00m (horizontal) = windows/porches
• 5.50m = the crown of the street or sidewalk
• No service drop conductors or any other wiring shall pass over swimming pools.

Elevators

• Hoistway pit: minimum 600mm from underside of car to bottom of pit

• Maximum four elevators in a single hoistway
• Residential buildings 5 storeys or higher shall have at least one passenger elevator on 24-hour constant
operation.

Escalators

• Maximum inclination: 30° from horizontal

• Width between balustrades: 560mm-1200mm. Shall not exceed the width of the step by more than 330mm.
• Speed: 38 meters per minute maximum (common rule is 90-120 fpm/27.5 - 36.5mpm)

Air Conditioning

• Comfortable cooling standards:

o Temperature: 20°-24° Celsius
o Humidity: 50% - 60%
o Air movement: 4.60-7.60 meters per minute.

Water Pumping

Installation of pumping equipment directly from the public water supply system is prohibited.
 RULE 14 – PHOTO/X-RAY FILMS

Film Storage Rooms

• Provide automatic fire extinguishing systems for the ff:

o When unexposed films in shipping containers exceed 14.00 cubic meters.
o When shelving used for storing film exceeds 1.40 cubic meters in capacity.
• No films shall be stored within 600mm of steam pipes, chimneys, or other sources of heat.

RULE 15 – PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION

Prefabricated Assembly

• A structural unit, the integral parts of which have been built-up or assembled prior to incorporation in the
building
• To determine structural adequacy, they shall pass special tests conducted by accredited material testing
laboratories.

RULE 16 – PLASTICS

Approved Plastics

• Those which have a flame-spread rating of 225 or less

• Those with a smoke density not greater than that obtained from the burning of untreated wood.
• Those whose products of combustion are no more toxic than those of untreated wood.
• Plastic doors are allowed except for entrance doors and exit doors, which should be of materials other than
plastics.

RULE 17 – SHEET METAL SPRAYBOOTHS

Sheet Metal Spray Paint Booths

• Paint spray booths shall be constructed of not less than No. 18 US Gauge in thickness.
• The area of a spray paint booth shall not exceed 150sqm.
• The floor of the booth, if combustible, shall be covered with non-combustible material.
• Shall permit the free passage of exhaust air.
 RULE 18 – GLASS AND GLAZING

General Requirements

• Applies to all exterior glass/glazing except Groups A, B, and J not taller than three storeys
• Each glass panel shall bear the manufacturer’s label designating the type and thickness of glass.
• Glass panels with special performance characteristics shall bear the manufacturer’s label indicating said
characteristics.
• Measures shall be taken to keep persons from walking into fixed glass panels where the floor on both sides
of the glass are the same level (guardrails, etching, flower bins).

Glass Area Limitation

• Glass in large areas along shopping malls, commercial buildiggs, institutional buildings, etc.

RULE 19 – USE OF COMPUTERS

General Requirements

The use of computers for all or any part of building design is permitted provided that all programs to be used are
documented.

Program Documentation

File with the OBO a reference to a publication accessible to him where a detailed description of the program including
a description of the algorithms are found

The software name, version number and the developer and its address shall be provided as part of documentation.

RULE 20 – SIGNS

General Requirements

• No sign shall be erected in such a manner as to confuse or obstruct the view or interpretation of any official
traffic sign/device.
• Signs in any foreign language shall have a translation in English or the local dialect
• Roof Signs
o No signs shall be installed on rooftops of buildings of wooden structures or of buildings with
wooden roof framing
o Provide grounding of metallic parts of roof signs exposed to lightning.
• Ground Signs
o Shall be located within the property line and under no circumstances shall they occupy the RROW.

• Projecting Signs
o 1.20m maximum = On non-arcaded RROW.
o 0.60m maximum = On arcaded RROW.
o 0.30m maximum = Buildings abutting RROW without sidewalks.
o 3.00m minimum = Non-arcaded RROW.
o 5.00m minimum = Arcaded RROW.