Stronger building standards pushed

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson wants stronger national building safety standards to protect the public from the effects of calamities such as the recent tremors that struck Mindanao.

Lacson filed Senate Bill No. 1239 which seeks to institutionalize reforms through a new Philippine Building Act, which will upgrade the 1977 National Building Code.

Among the reforms in Lacson’s proposed Philippine Building Act are: streamlining the building classification and permit application process; creating an interagency and multisectoral regulatory body; regulations for old buildings’ assessment and maintenance; and incentives for retrofitting and use of environmentally sound and sustainable materials and technologies.