Office of the Regional Director

20REGIONAL MEMORANDUM
No.__________ s. 2020

To: SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS

DIVISION ENGINEERS
DIVISION FINANCE OFFICER
This Region

From: DR. ARTURO B. BAYOCOT, CESO III

Regional Director

Re: ACCESSIBILITY LAW

Date: January 12, 2021

BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 344

AN ACT TO ENHANCE THE MOBILITY OF DISABLED PERSONS BY

REQUIRING CERTAIN BUILDINGS, INSTITUTIONS, ESTABLISHMENTS, AND
OTHER PUBLIC UTILITIES TO INSTALL FACILITIES AND OTHER DEVICES.

RULE I - SCOPE AND APPLICATION

1. Purpose
The Rules and Regulations set forth herein provide for minimum requirements
and standards to make buildings, facilities and utilities for public use accessible to
disabled persons, pursuant to the objectives of Batas Pambansa Bilang 344, "An
Act To Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Buildings,
Institutions, Establishments and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other
Devices
2. Application
1.1 Public and private buildings and related structures for public use. No permit
for the construction, repair or renovation of public and private buildings and
related structures for public use, whether owned or leased, shall be granted
or issued, unless the owner thereof shall have provided in the places and
specifications submitted for approval barrier-free facilities and accessibility
features as provided in these Rules and in accordance with the following
criteria:

1.1.1 Building and related structures to be constructed -

a. At the space where the primary function is served and where facilities
and ingress/egress of the building or structure are located, as to make
such space accessible to the disabled persons; provided, however,
that where the primary function can be served at the ingress level and
where such level is provided with facilities, requirements for
accessibility at other levels may be waived.
b. Ten percent (10%) of the total number of units of government-owned
living accommodations shall be accessible and fully usable by the
disabled persons with any fractional part in excess of one-half (1/2) in
the computation thereof, to be considered as one unit; for privately-
owned living accommodations the number of accessible units shall be
as provided in Section 3 of Rule III thereof.
c. Ingress/egress from the street to the building or structure shall be
made accessible.
d. Accessible slots in parking areas shall be located as near as possible
to ingress/egress spaces of the building or structure.

RULE II - MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSIBILITY

1. Design Criteria
1.1 ANTHROPOMETRICS AND DIMENSIONAL DATA AS GUIDES FOR
DESIGN. The minimum and maximum dimensions for spaces in the built
environment should consider the following criteria:
 1.1.1 The varying sizes and structures of persons of both sexes, their
reaches and their lines of sight at both the standing and sitting
positions.
1.1.2 The dimensional data of the technical aids of disabled persons.
Included in the second consideration are the dimensions of
wheelchairs; the minimum space needed for locking and unlocking leg
braces plus the range of distance of crutches and other walking aids
from persons using such devices.
By applying at this very early stage dimensional criteria which take
into account wheelchair usage, the physical environment will
ultimately encourage and enable wheelchair users to make full use of
their physical surroundings.
1.1.3 The provision of adequate space for wheelchair maneuvering
generally insures adequate space for disabled persons equipped with
other technical aids or accompanied by assistants. In determining the
minimum dimensions for furniture and fixtures accessible to disabled
persons, the following anthropometric data shall serve as guides for
design:
a. The length of wheelchairs varies from 1.10 m to 1.30 m.
b. The width of wheelchairs is from 0.60 m to 0.75 m.
c. A circle of 1.50 m in diameter is a suitable guide in the planning of
wheelchair turning spaces.
d. The comfortable reach of persons confined to wheelchairs is from 0.70
m to 1.20 m above the floor and not less than 0.40 m from room
corners. The comfortable clearance for knee and leg space under
tables for wheelchair users is 0.70 m.
e. Counter height shall be placed at a level comfortable to disabled
persons' reach.

1.2 BASIC PHYSICAL PLANNING REQUIREMENTS.

No group of people shall be deprived of full participation and enjoyment of
the environment or be made unequal with the rest due to any disability. In
order to achieve this goal adopted by the United Nations, certain basic
principles shall be applied:

1.2.1 ACCESSIBILITY. The built environment shall be designed so that it

shall be accessible to all people. This means that no criteria shall
impede the use of facilities by either the handicapped or non-disabled
citizens.
1.2.2 REACHABILITY. Provisions shall be adapted and introduced to the
physical environment so that as many places or buildings as possible
can be reached by all.
 1.2.3 USABILITY. The built environment shall be designed so that all
persons, whether they be disabled or not, may use and enjoy it.
1.2.4 ORIENTATION. Finding a person's way inside and outside of a
building or open space shall be made easy for everyone.
1.2.5 SAFETY. Designing for safety insures that people shall be able to
move about with less hazards to life and health.
1.2.6 WORKABILITY AND EFFICIENCY. The built environment shall be
designed to allow the disabled citizens to participate and contribute to
developmental goals.

RULE III - SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS AND RELATED

STRUCTURES FOR PUBLIC USE

1. CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDING BY USE OF OCCUPANCY

1.1 Occupancy classified by categories enumerated in Section 701 of the
National Building Code (PD 1096) are hereby adapted

1.1.1 Category I - Residential -This shall comprise Group A and partly

Group B Buildings
1.1.2 Category II - Commercial and Industrial -This shall comprise partly
Groups B, C, E, F, G, H, and I Buildings
1.1.3 Category III - Educational and Industrial - This shall comprise partly
Group C, D, E, and H Buildings
1.1.4 Category IV - Agricultural - This shall comprise partly Group J
Buildings.
1.1.5 Category V - Ancillary - This shall comprise partly Group J Buildings

2. ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES AND FACILITIES

Where the following features and facilities are: architectural design
requirements in accordance with generally accepted architectural practice, the
same include the corresponding graphic signs.

2.1 Architectural facilities and features:

2.1.1 A Stairs
2.1.2 B Walkways
2.1.3 C Corridors
 2.1.4 D Doors and Entrances
2.1.5 E Washrooms and Toilets
2.1.6 F Lifts/Elevators
2.1.7 G Ramps
2.1.8 H Parking Areas
2.1.9 I Switches, Controls, Buzzers
2.1.10 J Handrails
2.1.11 K Thresholds
2.1.12 L Floor Finishes
2.1.13 M Drinking Fountains
2.1.14 N Public Telephones
2.1.15 O Seating Accommodations

3. CATEGORY I
The following requirements shall only apply to government-owned buildings.

3.1 Group A
3.1.1 Single detached. Ten percent (10%) of the total units to be
constructed. Barrier-free facilities and features required in: A, B, C, D,
E, G, H, I, J, K, and L.
3.1.2 3.1.2 Duplexes: Ten percent (10%) of the total units to be constructed.
Barrier-free facilities and features required in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I, J,
K, and L.
3.1.3 3.1.3 School or company staff housing units: One (1) unit for 26 to 50
units to be constructed and 1 additional unit for every 100 units
thereafter. Barrier-free facilities and features required in: A, B, C, D, E,
G, H, I, J, K, and L.

4. CATEGORY II
The following requirements shall apply to both government and privately-
owned buildings.

4.1 Group B
 4.1.1 Accessories, tenement houses and/or row houses, apartment houses
and/or town houses. One (1) unit for every 50 units up to 150 units
and an additional unit for every 100 units thereafter. Barrier-free
facilities and features required in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I, J, K, and L.
4.1.2 Hotels, motels, inns, pension houses and/or apartels. One (1) unit per
every 50 units up to 150 units and an additional unit for every 100
units at ingress level. In case there is no barrier-free elevators: at least
one (1) unit shall be provided at ingress level. Barrier-free facilities
and features required in: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, and N.
4.1.3 Private or "off campus" Dormitories: One (1) unit per every 50 units up
to 150 units and an additional dwelling unit for every 100 units
thereafter at ingress level. Barrier-free facilities and features required
in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, and N.

4.2 Group E-2

4.2.1 Office Buildings. Barrier-free facilities and features required in A, B, C,
D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, and N.

4.3 Group H-1, Group H-4, and Group I

4.3.1 Theaters, Auditoriums and Convention Halls. Barrier-free facilities and
features required in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, and O.
4.3.2 Colisea and Sports Complexes and Stadiums. Barrier-free facilities
and features required in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, and O.

5. CATEGORY III
5.1 Group C
5.1.1 Educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities, vocational
schools, seminaries and novitiates), including school auditoriums,
gymnasia, reviewing stands, little theaters and concert halls. Barrier-
free facilities and features required in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M,
N, and O.
 5.1.2 Libraries, museums, exhibition halls and art galleries. Barrier-free
facilities and features required in: A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N,
and O.
5.1.3 Civil Centers. Barrier-free facilities and features required in: A, B, C,
D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, and O.

6. STANDARD OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR SPECIAL TYPE OF FACILITIES

6.1 The provision of this section shall apply to the specified type of facilities and
identified specific requirements for accessibility and usability which shall be
provided for each of the listed occupancy uses.

6.1.1 Auditoriums, assembly halls, theaters, and related facilities:

a. Seating for the disabled shall be accessible from the main lobby to
primary entrances, together with related toilet facilities.
b. In all assembly places where seating accommodation is provided,
there shall be spaces for the disabled persons as provided.
SEATING CAPACITY WHEELCHAIR SEATING SPACE
4 – 50 2
51 – 300 4
301 – 500 6
c. When the seating capacity exceeds 500 an additional wheelchair
seating space shall be provided for each total seating capacity
increase of 100 seats
d. Readily removable seats may be installed in these spaces when such
spaces are not required to accommodate wheelchair users.

7. COMPUTATION OF ACCESSIBLE UNITS

In the computation for the allocation of accessible units and seating capacity
decimal greater than 0.5 shall be considered as one unit. In all cases a minimum
of one (1) accessible unit shall be provided.

8. APPLICATION OF BARRIER-FREE FACILITIES AND FEATURES

8.1 Graphic signs shall be bold and conspicuously installed in every access from
point of entry to connecting destination.
 8.2 Walkways shall be provided with adequate passageway in accordance with
the provision.
8.3 Width of corridors and circulation system integrating both and vertical access
to ingress/egress level of the building shall be provided.
8.4 Doors and entrances provided herein used as entry points at entrance
lobbies as local points of congregation shall be designed to open easily or
accessible from floor to floor or to any point of destination.
8.5 Washroom and toilets shall be accessible and provided with adequate
turning space.
8.6 Whenever elevator/s is required it should meet the requirements provided.
8.7 Ramps shall be provided as means of access to level of change going to
entry points and entrances, lobbies influenced by condition of location or
use.
8.8 Parking areas shall be provided with sufficient space for the disabled
persons to allow easy transfer from carpark to ingress/egress levels.
8.9 Height above the floor of switches and controls shall be in accordance with
the provisions.
8.10 Handrails shall be provided at both sides of ramps.
8.11 Floors provided for every route of the wheelchair shall be made of non-skid
material.

PERSONS/INDIVIDUALS LIABLE FOR

ANY VIOLATION OF THE ACT

APPENDIX A
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSIBILITY

A. OUTSIDE AND AROUND BUILDINGS

1. DROPPED CURBS
1.1 Changes in level walkways should be by a dropped curb.
1.2 Dropped curbs should be provided at pedestrian crossings and at the
end of walkways of a private street or access road.
 1.3 Dropped curbs at crossings have a width corresponding to the width of
the crossing; otherwise, the minimum width is 0.90 m.
1.4 Dropped curbs shall be ramped towards adjoining curbs with a gradient
not more than 1:12.
1.5 Dropped curbs shall be sloped towards the road with a maximum cross
gradient of 1:20 to prevent water from collecting at the walkway.
1.6 The lowest point of a dropped curb should not exceed 25 mm from the
road or gutter.

2. CURB CUT-OUTS
2.1 Curb cut-outs should only be allowed when it will not obstruct a walkway
or in any way lessen the width of a walkway.
2.2 The minimum width of a curb cut-out should be 0.90 M.
2.3 Curb cut-outs should have a gradient not more than 1:12.

3. WALKWAYS AND PASSAGEWAYS

3.1 Walkways should be kept as level as possible and provided with slip-
resistant material.
3.2 Whenever and wherever possible, walkways should have a gradient no
more than 1:20 or 5%.
3.3 Walkways should have a maximum cross gradient of 1:100.
3.4 Walkways should have a minimum width of 1.20 meters.
3.5 If possible, gratings should never be located along walkways. When
occurring along walkways, grating openings should have a maximum
dimension of 13 mm x 13 mm and shall not project more than 6.5 mm
above the level of the walkway.
3.6 Walkways should have a continuing surface without abrupt pitches in
angle or interruptions by cracks or breaks creating edges above 6.50
mm.
3.7 In lengthy or busy walkways, spaces should be provided at some point
along the route so that a wheelchair may pass another or turn around.
These spaces should have a minimum dimension of 1.50 m and should
be spaced at a maximum distance of 12:00 m between stops.
3.8 To guide the blind, walkways should as much as possible follow
straightforward routes with right angle turns.
3.9 Where planting is provided adjacent to the walkway, regular
maintenance is essential to ensure branches of trees or shrubs do not
overhang walkways or paths, as not only do these present a particular
danger to the blind, but they also reduce the effective footways width
available to pedestrians generally.
 3.10 Walkway headroom should not be less than 2.0 m and preferably higher.
3.11 Passageways for the disabled should not be obstructed by street
furniture, bollards, sign posts or columns along the defined route, as they
can be hazardous.

4. HANDRAILS
4.1 Handrails should be installed at both sides of ramps and stairs and at the
outer edges of dropped curbs. Handrails at dropped curbs should not be
installed beyond the width of any crossing so as not to obstruct
pedestrian flow.
4.2 Handrails shall be installed at 0.90 m and 0.70 m above steps or ramps.
Handrails for protection at great heights may be installed at 1.0 m to 1.06
m.
4.3 0.30 m long extension of the handrail should be provided at the start and
end of ramps and stairs.
4.4 Handrails that require full grip should have a dimension of 30 mm to 50
mm.
4.5 Handrails attached to walls should have a clearance no less than 50 mm
from the wall. Handrails on ledges should have a clearance not less than
40 mm.

5. OPEN SPACES
5.1 Where open spaces are provided, the blind can become particularly
disoriented. Therefore, it is extremely helpful if any walkway or paths can
be given defined edges either by the use of planters with dwarf walls, or
a grass verge, or similar, which provides a texture different from the path.

6. SIGNAGES
6.1 Directional and informational sign should be located at points
conveniently seen even by a person on a wheelchair and those with
visual impairments;
6.2 Signs should be kept simple and easy to understand; signages should be
made of contrasting colors and contrasting gray matter to make detection
and reading easy;
6.3 The international symbol for access should be used to designate routes
and facilities that are accessible;

SIGN SIZE (cm) USAGE

A 10 x 10 Comfort room stall doors
A, B, C, D 15 x 15 With or without directional arrows to
identify door, rooms
A, B, C 22 x 22 With or without arrows
A, B, C, D, E 30 x 30 For exterior use
 A, B, C, D, E 60 x 60 For exterior use
F 20 x 60 For exterior use

6.4 Should a sign protrude into a walkway or route, a minimum headroom of

2.0 meters should be provided;
6.5 Signs on walls and doors should be located at a maximum height of 1.60
M. and a minimum height of 1.40 meters. For signage on washroom
doors, see C. Section 8.6.
6.6 Signages labeling public rooms and places should have raised symbols,
letters or numbers with minimum height of 1 mm; braille symbols should
be included in signs indicating public places and safety routes;

B. OUTSIDE AND AROUND BUILDINGS

1. PARKING
1.1 Parking spaces for the disabled should allow enough space for a person
to transfer to a wheelchair from a vehicle;
1.2 Accessible parking spaces should be located as close as possible to
building entrances or to accessible entrances;
1.3 Whenever and wherever possible, accessible parking spaces should be
perpendicular or to an angle to the road or circulation aisles;
1.4 Accessible parking slots should have a minimum width of 3.70 m.;
1.5 A walkway from accessible spaces of 1.20 m. clear width shall be
provided between the front ends of parked cars;
1.6 Provide dropped curbs or curb cut-outs to the parking level where access
walkways are raised;
1.7 Pavement markings, signs or other means shall be provided to delineate
parking spaces for the handicapped;
1.8 Parking spaces for the disabled should never be located at ramped or
sloping areas;

C. INSIDE BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES

1. ENTRANCES
 1.1 Entrances should be accessible from arrival and departure points to the
interior lobby;
1.2 One (1) entrance level should be provided where elevators are
accessible;
1.3 In case entrances are not on the same level of the site arrival grade,
ramps should be provided as access to the entrance level;
1.4 Entrances with vestibules shall be provided a level area with at least a
1.80 m. depth and a 1.50 m. width;

2. RAMPS
2.1 Changes in level require a ramp except when served by a dropped curb,
an elevator or other mechanical device;
2.2 Ramps shall have a minimum clear width of 1.20 m;
2.3 The maximum gradient shall be 1:12;
2.4 The length of a ramp should not exceed 6:00 m. if the gradient is 1:12;
longer ramps whose gradient is 1:12 shall be provided with landings not
less than 1.50 m.;
2.5 A level area not less than 1.80 m. should be provided at the top and
bottom of any ramp;
2.6 Handrails will be provided on both sides of the ramp at 0.70 m. and 0.90
m. from the ramp level;
2.7 Ramps shall be equipped with curbs on both sides with a minimum
height of 0.10 m.;
2.8 Any ramp with a rise greater than 0.20 m. and leads down towards an
area where vehicular traffic is possible, should have a railing across the
full width of its lower end, not less than 1.80 meters from the foot of the
ramp;

3. DOORS
3.1 All doors shall have a minimum clear width of 0.80 m;
3.2 Clear openings shall be measured between the surface of the fully open
door at the hinge and the door jamb at the stop;
3.3 Doors should be operable by a pressure or force not more than 4.0 kg;
the closing device pressure an interior door shall not exceed 1 kg.;
3.4 A minimum clear level space of 1.50 m x 1.50 m shall be provided before
and extending beyond a door;
EXCEPTION: where a door shall open onto but not into a corridor, the
required clear, level space on the corridor side of the door may be a
minimum of 1.20 m. corridor width;
 3.5 Protection should be provided from doors that swing into corridors;
3.6 Outswinging doors should be provided at storage rooms, closets and
accessible restroom stalls;
3.7 Latching or non-latching hardware should not require wrist action or fine
finger manipulation;
3.8 Doorknobs and other hardware should be located between 0.82 m. and
1.06 m. above the floor; 0.90 is preferred;
3.9 Vertical pull handles, centered at 1.06 m. above the floor, are preferred
to horizontal pull bars for swing doors or doors with locking devices;
3.10 Doors along major circulation routes should be provided with kick plates
made of durable materials at a height of 0.30 m. to 0.40 m;

4. THRESHOLDS
4.1 Thresholds shall be kept to a minimum; whenever necessary, thresholds
and sliding door tracks shall have a maximum height of 25 mm and
preferably ramped;

5. SWITCHES
5.1 Manual switches shall be positioned within 1.20 m to 1.30 m above the
floor;
5.2 Manual switches should be located no further than 0.20 from the latch
side of the door;

6. CORRIDORS
6.1 Corridors shall have minimum clear width of 1.20 m.; waiting areas and
other facilities or spaces shall not obstruct the minimum clearance
requirement;
6.2 Recesses or turnabout spaces should be provided for wheelchairs to turn
around or to enable another wheelchair to pass; these spaces shall have
a minimum area of 1.50 m x 1.50 m. and shall be spaced at a maximum
of 12.00 m.;
6.3 Turnabout spaces should also be provided at or within 3.50 m. of every
dead end;
6.4 As in walkways, corridors should be maintained level and provided with a
slip-resistant surface;

7. WASHROOMS & TOILETS

 7.1 Accessible public washrooms and toilets shall permit easy passage of a
wheelchair and allow the occupant to enter a stall, close the door and
transfer to the water closet from either a frontal or lateral position;
7.2 Accessible water closet stalls shall have a minimum area of 1.70 x 1.80
mts. One movable grab bar and one fixed to the adjacent wall shall be
installed at the accessible water closet stall for lateral mounting; fixed
grab bars on both sides of the wall shall be installed for stalls for frontal
mounting;
7.3 A turning space of 2.25 sq.m. with a minimum dimension of 1.50 m. for
wheelchair shall be provided for water closet stalls for lateral mounting;
7.4 All accessible public toilets shall have accessories such as mirrors,
paper dispensers, towel racks and fittings such as faucets mounted at
heights reachable by a person in a wheelchair;
7.5 The minimum number of accessible water closets on each floor level or
on that part of a floor level accessible to the disabled shall be one (1)
where the total number of water closets per set on that level is 20; and
two (2) where the number of water closets exceed 20;
7.6 In order to aid visually impaired persons to readily determine whether a
washroom is for men or for women, the signage for men's washroom
door shall be an equilateral triangle with a vertex pointing upward, and
those for women shall be a circle; the edges of the triangle should be
0.30 m long as should be the diameter of the circle; these signages
should at least be 7.5 mm thick; the color and gray value of the doors;
the words "men" and "women" or the appropriate stick figures should still
appear on the washroom doors for the convenience of the fully sighted;
Note: the totally blind could touch the edge of the signs and easily determine whether it
is straight or curved;
7.7 The maximum height of water closets should be 0.45 m.; flush control
should have a maximum height of 1.20 mts.
7.8 Maximum height of lavatories should be 0.80 m. with a knee recess of
0.60 - 0.70 M. vertical clearance and a 0.50 m. depth.
7.9 Urinals should have an elongated lip or through type; the maximum
height of the lip should be 0.48 m.
8. STAIRS
8.1 Tread surfaces should be a slip-resistant material; nosings may be
provided with slip-resistant strips to further minimize slipping:
8.2 Slanted nosings are preferred to projecting nosings so as not to pose
difficulty for people using crutches or braces whose feet have a tendency
to get caught in the recessed space or projecting nosings. For the same
reason, open stringers should be avoided.
8.3 The leading edge of each step on both runner and riser should be
marked with a paint or non-skid material that has a color and gray value
which is in high contrast to the gray value of the rest of the stairs;
 markings of this sort would be helpful to the visually impaired as well as
to the fully sighted person;
8.4 A tactile strip 0.30 m. wide shall be installed before hazardous areas
such as sudden changes in floor levels and at the top and bottom of
stairs; special care must be taken to ensure the proper mounting or
adhesion of tactile strips so as not to cause accidents;

D. SAFETY
1. FENCING FOR ROADWORKS AND FOOTWORKS
All excavations, whether on the road or footway must be adequately
protected, i.e. fenced. Whatever the type of fencing used, it is important the
railings should incorporate the following features.
1.1 The height of the top of the rail should be at least 1.00 M. above the
adjacent surface.
1.2 The railing should incorporate a tapping rail to assist the blind, and this
should not be greater than 0.35 M. above adjacent surface.
1.3 The fence should be strong enough to offer resistance should a blind
person walk into it.
1.4 Gaps should not occur between adjoining fence lengths.

2. COVERS FOR EXCAVATIONS

2.1 Excavations in the footway or carriageway where pedestrians may walk
are covered over temporarily with properly constructed and supported
boards to provide a temporary path for pedestrians.
2.2 If the footway width will be reduced to less than 1.20 because of the
excavation, the temporary covering should extend across the whole of
the footway.
2.3 Minimum dimensions at obstructions
2.1.1 Effective width of footways past any obstruction should not be less
than 1.20 M.
2.1.2 If unavoidable, loose materials temporarily stored on footways
must be properly fenced and prevented from encroaching onto the
main footway by the use of a kickboard at least 0.20 M. high
which will also serve as a tapping board for the blind.

3. LOCATION OF EMERGENCY EXIT

4.2 Wall mounted or free standing tablets with an embossed plan
configuration of the building which also shows the location of the lobby,
washrooms and emergency exits of the building (indicated by different
textures with corresponding meanings) should be provided either in front
of the building or at the main lobby. The markings of this tablet should be
readable by both the fully sighted and the blind persons.
 4.3 Flashing light directional signs indicating the location(s) of fire exit shall
be provided at every change in direction with sufficient power provided in
accordance with the provisions for emergency lighting under Section
3.410 of P.D. NO. 1185 (The Fire Code of the Philippines).

4. AUDIBLE AND VISIBLE ALARM SYSTEM

4.1 Audio-visual alarm systems shall be provided in all fire sections, as
defined under P.D. NO. 1185 otherwise known as The Fire Code of the
Philippines, of buildings in accordance with the guidelines provided
under Section 3.503 of the same.
4.2 For buildings of residential occupancies, i.e. Groups A and B, as defined
under Section 701, of Chapter 7 of P.D. NO. 1096 otherwise known as
the "The National Building Code of the Philippines", the provision of
"VIBRA-ALARMS" for all occupants who are either deaf or hearing-
impaired shall be compulsory.