PERTINENT LAWS

National Building Code of the Philippines (PD 1096)

Chapter 4 Types of Construction – Classified as Type IV Construction
 Classification and General Requirement by Use/Occupancy – Group D-1
Institutional
 Classification and General Requirement by Use/Occupancy – 15 meters
Chapter 7  Classification and General Requirement by Use/Occupancy - One (1) off-
street cum on-site car parking slot for every twenty-five (25) beds; and one
(1) off-RROW (or offstreet) passenger loading space that can
accommodate two (2) queued jeepney/shuttle slots (within property lot)
 Inside Lot - 50% as the minimum percentage for open space
Chapter 8  TGFA=Building Height Limit x 60% Total Lot Area
Section 802 &  Maximum Allowable PSO = 50% of TLA; Maximum Allowable ISA = 20% of
Section 803 TLA; Minimum USA = 30% of TLA; OSL = 50% of TLA
 Setbacks: 20m to 24m RROW – 5 meters Front – 3 meters Side and Rear
The Law Of Enhance Mobility Of Disable Persons (BP 344)
No license or permit for the construction, repair or renovation shall be granted
or issued unless the owner shall incorporate such architectural facilities or
Section 1
features to reasonable enhance the mobility of disabled persons. There shall
also be a reserved parking space for the use of disabled persons.
Prominent display of posters or stickers shall be used to generate public
Section 2 awareness of the rights of disabled and foster understanding of their special
need
 Specific requirements for barrier-free architectural features and facilities in
public buildings and related structures, including stairs, walkways,
corridors, doors and entrances, washrooms and toilets, lifts/elevators,
ramps, parking areas, switches, controls, buzzers, handrails, thresholds,
floor finishes, drinking fountains, and public telephones.
 Category IV states that they have graphic signs with bold and conspicuous
installation in every access from point of entry to connecting destination,
walkways shall be equipped with a sufficient passageway in accordance
with the provisions, width of corridors and circulation system merging both
and vertical access to ingress/egress level of the building should be
provided, doors and entrances given herein used as entry points at
Rule III entrance lobbies as local points of contact shall be provided, doors and
entrances provided herein used as entry points at entrance lobbies as local
points of congregation shall be design to open easily or accessible from
floor to floor or to any point of destination, washroom and toilets shall be
accessible and provided with adequate turning space, When elevators are
required, they must meet the requirements. Ramps must be provided as a
means of access to the level of change going to entry points and entrances,
lobbies influenced by condition of location or use, parking areas must be
provided with sufficient space for disabled persons to allow easy transfer
from carpark to ingress/egress levels, switch and control height above the
floor must be in accordance with the provisions, and handrails must be
provided.
 The lowest point of a lowered curb must not be more than 25mm over the
Minimum road or gutter. A curb cut-out shall have a minimum width of 0.90m and a
 Requirement for gradient of no more than 1:12.
Accessibility  Walkways should have a gradient of no more than 1:20 or 5%, a minimum
width of 1.20m, and a continuous surface with no abrupt angles or
interruptions by cracks or breaks forming edges more than 6.50 mm.
Handrails must be built on both sides of ramps and steps, as well as on
dropped curbs.
 Between 0.90 and 0.70m above steps or ramps, with a 0.30m handrail
extension at the beginning and finish of ramps and stairs.
 If the gradient is 1:12, ramps must not be longer than 6.00m.supplied with
landings no shorter than 1.50m
 Entrances with vestibules must have a level area at least 1.80m deep and
1.50m wide.
 A door must have a minimum clear width of 8.00m and a minimum clear
level space of 1.50x1.50m before and beyond it.
 Corridors must have a clear width of at least 1.20m.
 Accessible elevators shall be no more than 30.00m from the entrance and
should be simple to find using signage, with a minimum dimension of 1.10m
x 1.40m.
Fire Code of the Philippines (RA 9514)
 Appropriate facility arrangement, adequate staffing, and careful development of operating and
maintenance procedures comprised of Proper design, construction, and compartmentation,
Provision for detection, alarm, and extinguishment, and Fire prevention and the planning, training,
and drilling in programs for fire isolation and transfer of occupants to areas of refuge or evacuation
of the building.
 The distance between any room door intended for exit access shall not be greater than 30.00
meters, the distance between any point in a room and an exit shall not be greater than 46.00
meters, and the distance between any point in a health care sleeping room or suite and an exit
access door of that room or suite shall not be greater than 15.00 meters.
 Aisles, corridors, and exit ramps must be at least 244.00 millimeters wide and unobstructed width.
 Any room larger than 90sqm must have at least two separate exits and access doors.
 Every story used for sleeping by residents, as well as any other story with fifty or more occupants,
must be split into compartments by means of a smoke barrier.
Plumbing Code of the Philippines (RA 1378)
 Horizontal drainage pipes must be run in feasible alignments and at a uniform slope of not less
than 20mm/m or 2% toward the point of disposal between manholes.
 Changes in drainage piping direction must use approved pipe fittings with angles presented by a 22
1/2° bend, 45° bend, or 60° bend, or other permitted fittings with longer sweeps.
 All plumbing fittings that receive or discharge liquid wastes or sewage must be appropriately
connected to the drainage systems.
 Tunneling and driving can be done on any building site's yard, court, or driveway. Tunneling can be
employed between open cut trenches if there is enough depth. These must have a clear height of
0.6m above the pipe and be no longer than one-half the depth of the trench.
Sanitation Code of the Philippines (PD 856)
 Inform the local health authority if the sewage treatment works fail or are not working properly.
 Make provisions for the treatment of all sewage that enters the treatment facility.
 In places where a sewerage system is available, all establishments covered by the system must be
connected to the sewer.
 Outfalls released from a treatment plant must be carried to the stream channel or deep water where
the outflow is discharged.
 Septic tanks where a public sewage system is not accessible, sewer outfalls from dwellings,
schools, and other structures must be dumped into a septic tank, which must be generally
rectangular in shape. When many compartments are employed, the first compartment must have a
capacity ranging from one-half to two-thirds of the total volume of the tank. Being constructed of
concrete, either precast or poured in place, it is possible to employ brick, concrete blocks, or
adobe. It shall not be built beneath any building or within 25 meters of any source of water supply.
 Septic tank effluent shall be dumped into subsurface soil, absorption fields when applicable, or
treated with some form of purification technology. If the treated effluent meets the National Water
and Air Pollution Control Commission's quality criteria, it may be discharged into a stream or body
of water.
 The predicted unit flow in Table I "Quality of Sewage Flow" based on an acceptable detention time
interval resulting in efficient sedimentation can be used to calculate septic tank capacity. When
available, daily flow from mattered results can be used as an estimate of flow. For occupied
structures, the number of people to be supplied is calculated based on the number of rooms, with
each room believed to be occupied by two people, or on the actual number of people serviced by
the tank, whichever is greater.
DSWD Standards for Youth Detention Home
 Conveniently accessible to public transportation, schools, clinics/hospitals,
recreation centers and the court.
Physical Structure
 Located in a safe distance from dangerous structures/conditions like gas
and Safety
and power stations and cliffs or measures are installed to prevent loss of
A. Location
life and harm to health and safety that may be caused by these
structures/conditions.
 Generally clean and free from clutter, dirt or waste matter.
Physical Structure  If pets are kept, these area provided well-kept cage outside the living area
and Safety of the home
B. Sanitation  Has proper waste disposal system, which the residents area trained to
practice
 Declared fire-safe by proper government authority
Physical Structure  Basic utilities such as telephone or any adaptive means of communication,
and Safety adequate supply of potable water and electricity are available for daily
C. Safety Measures consumption
w/in the facility  Office/s and facilities are kept in safe repair and decorated in such a way as
to create a pleasant ambiance for staff, residents and visitors; adequately
lit, warm or cool enough; well-ventilated
 Room or space for organizational and administrative functions of staff are
separate from areas of interaction and programmed activities with
residents.
 Adequate room or space for interviewing/counseling residents; ensures
privacy and confidentiality.
 Separate toilets are provided outside the living units for female and male
residents and staff
 Training facilities are designed and equipped according to the requirements
of the program.
 An adequately equipped room is dedicated for formal or non-formal
education of residents when attendance to formal or informal school
outside the Home is not applicable.
 Space is designated for receiving visitors.
 Security structures (e.g. iron bars enclosing entry and exit points), if
necessary, shall be installed only in main entry and exit points of buildings
 and shall not obstruct daily living activities of residents. When outdoor
space is available for programmed activities for residents, this is enclosed
with a safe perimeter fence constructed in such a way that incoming and
outgoing persons can be monitored.
 A control room is provided as part of the Home's service designed to
ensure physically safe environment that:
- has all switches for lights and ventilation outside the room: no electrical
outlets in the room;
- allows for total observation of the resident at all times;
- has protected recessed ceiling light;
- is properly ventilated;
- has all doors, ceilings and walls constructed of strength and materials
as to prevent damage or harm to the resident
- has a window that is secured and protected in such a manner as to
prevent harm to the resident;
- is a minimum of 6 ft by 9 ft. in size with at least 7.5 ft. ceiling.
 Dangerous home implements and substances are kept in locked cabinets
with designated persons to monitor its use.
 Residents and staff are trained on first aid. First aid kit is available.
 Specific areas in the Home are designated for informal living, dining, indoor
Physical Structure recreation, sleeping, bathing, food preparation and storage.
and Safety - Each bedroom has a window.
D. Accommodation - No basement shall be used as sleeping accommodation. Unless declared
and Living Space fire-safe by authorities;
- Multiple accommodation shall be applied, with 4 to 10 residents per room at
4 sq. m per resident. Safely constructed partitions are installed for privacy.
Partitions shall not obstruct visual opening of bedroom doors.
- Each resident has a solidly constructed bed, clean bed sheets, blankets
and pillows appropriate to weather conditions and climate.
- No resident who has serious difficulty negotiating stairways shall be placed
in a bedroom above or below the ground floor level of the Home.
- Adequate storage space is provided for each resident for his/her private
belongings.
- No resident shall occupy a room with a member of the opposite sex.
- Each room shall have at least one functional bathroom, one functional toilet
and two functional lavatories. If situated in a common area for multiple use,
safely constructed partitions are installed for individual privacy.
- Doors shall have a visual opening for visual check by staff-on-duty
 Night-lights are installed in the bedrooms and in the living area.
 Developmental and safe recreational materials are provided and are
appropriate to residents age, capacities and interest
 Laundry area has adequate space and is equipped with basic laundry
materials/utilities. It is located in an area that does not obstruct daily living
activities.
 Security structures that create a prison-like setting shall not be installed in
the bedrooms and living area; Window grills may be installed provided this
 shall comply with fire-safety standards.
 All exit doors shall be equipped with hardware, which does not require the
use of a key to unlock the door from the inside. Exit doors should not be
blocked.