PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 957 • 3.5% minimum (20 lots / ha.

The Subdivision and Condominium • 9.0% maximum (65 lots / ha.)

Buyers’ Protective Decree
• BUT not less than 100 sqm.
DISCLAIMER:
Always double-check the values
given in this document with the
actual laws. For corrections or
clarifications, email
[Link]@[Link].

What PD 957 covers

HIERARCHY OF ROADS
• Subdivisions

• Condominiums

What PD 957 covers

• Medium-cost housing
- affordable for middle income

• Open market housing

- sold at market prices

RROW WIDTHS
SUBDIVISIONS

Saleable vs. non-saleable

• 70% saleable

• 30% non-saleable

What are non-saleable areas?

• Parks and playgrounds

• Community facilities
• Major road: 10.0m minimum
• Circulation system • Minor road: 8.0m minimum
• Applies to both medium cost and open
market
PLANTING STRIPS & SIDEWALKS

Parks and playgrounds

• Required for projects 1 ha. or more

MINIMUM LOT AREAS

MINIMUM LOT FRONTAGES

Minimum floor areas

• Medium cost = 30 sqm.

• Economic = 42 sqm.

SETBACKS
CONDOMINIUMS • Single occupancy
– 18 sqm.
– 12 sqm. for students

MIN SIZES OF ROOMS • Family occupancy

– 22 sqm. for medium cost
– 36 sqm. for medium cost

BAľAS PAMBANSA BLG. 220

Economic and Socialized
Parks and playgrounds Housing

• Required if: Economic and socialized housing

• Housing units which are within the
– 10 condo units or more affordability level of the average and low-
income earners, which is equal to 30% of
– Project is 1,000 sqm. or larger the gross family income, as determined by
May be waived if a NEDA.
public park is within 800m
BP 220 is different from:

• PD 957 (Subdivision and Condominium

Parks and playgrounds
Buyers’ Protective Decree)
• PD 1216 (Defining Open Space in
• 50 sqm. for 10 condo units
Residential Subdivisions)
• +3 sqm. for every additional unit • PD 1096 (National Building Code)
• PD 1185 (National Fire Code)
Parking
Simple outline of BP 220
• Follow NBC:
• Subdivision design
– Units with a floor area of 18 sqm. – 22
sqm. : One slot for every 8 units • Building design
– Single family dwellings
Off-site parking – Multi-family dwellings

• OK if located 200m way or less from Basic needs of human settlements

commercial condo.
• Water
• OK if located 100m way or less from
residential condo. • Movement and circulation

Roads • Storm drainage

• Minimum RROW: 8.00m • Solid and liquid waste disposal

– 6.00m for carriageway • Parks and playgrounds

– 2.00m for sidewalk/planting strip • Power

• For hierarchy or roads, follow

requirements for subdivisions
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Floor areas for condominiums
Socialized housing Rowhouse

Housing projects undertaken by A single-attached dwelling containing

the government for the three or more separateliving units in such
underprivileged and homeless a way that they abut each other at the
citizen sides (as in a row), separated from each
other by party walls.
Economic housing
Shell house
Housing projects provided to average
income families.
A habitable dwelling unit which includes:
Affordable cost
– All exterior walls
The most reasonable price based on – Floor
the needs and capabilities of beneficiaries, – Openings for doors and windows
and R A 7279. – Plumbing fixtures
– Electrical wiring
Dwelling

A building designed/used as a residence Complete house

for one or more families
Shell house + all windows and doors, and
Single-family dwelling partition walls.

One family per lot Firewall

Multiple-family dwelling A n y wall which separates two abutting

living units (+required extensions)
A dwelling on one lot containing separate
living units for multiple families. This is
usually provided with common access, Party wall
services, and use of land.
A wall used jointly by two parties
Community facilities under an easement agreement, erected
upon a line separating two parcels of land
Facilities intended to serve common each of which is a separate real estate
needs and for the benefit of the
community. Block

Examples: mutli-purpose centers, A parcel of land bounded on the sides by

schools , drugstores. streets. Occupied by or intended for
buildings
Single-detached
Alley
A dwelling for one family completely
surrounded by open spaces A public way 2.00m wide intended to
break a block, with both ends connecting
Duplex/Single attached to streets. Must not be used as access to
property.
A dwelling containing two or more
separate living units separated by party
walls or firewalls. Includes duplexes and
quadruplexes. Pathwalk
A public way intended to be used only
as pedestrian access to a property for
socialized housing projects. Minimum
width of 3.00m and maximum length of
60.00m.

SUBDIVISION DESIGN Community facilities

Planning considerations • A multipurpose center is required for

projects 1 hectare or bigger, whether
• Avoid areas subject to flooding/hazards. socialized or economic.

• Preserve trees with

caliper diameter of
200mm or greater.
• Follow
easement
requirements set
by other codes.
• Provide major streets with
extensions for future
connections.

Saleable versus non-saleable

•There is no fixed ratio between saleable

and non-saleable lots.
Circulation/road planning
Parks and playgrounds

• Parks and playground are required for • Observe the prescribed

projects that measure 1 hectare and road hierarchies and
above. minimum R ROW widths
within the subdivision.
• Area allotted for parks
and playgrounds are
exclusive of areas for
community facilities.
• Basketball courts = OK

Parks and playgrounds

• Minimum area required is expressed in

%. Area increases as density
(lots/hectare) increases. See table.

• Absolute minimum: 100sqm

 • Requirements are the
same for socialized and
economic housing.
• Depends on RROW width

Minimum sizes of roads

• Major road - 8.00 m

• Collector road - 8.00 m

MINIMUM LOT AREAS
• Minor road - 6.50 m

• Motor court - 6.00 m

• Pathwalk - 3.00 m

• Alley - 2.00 m

MINIMUM LOT FRONTAGES

Alley vs. Pathwalk

• An alley breaks
a block. It must not
be used as access
to a property.
• A pathwalk provides
pedestrian access to a
property. May be used as MINIMUM LOT: SINGLE DETACHED
property access for
socialized housing only.
Maximum length = 60
meters.

Notes

• Economic housing and socialized

housing have very similar requirements for
RROW.
• They also have very similar
requirements for parks and
playgrounds, and community
facilities. MINIMUM LOT: DUPLEX

Planting strips and sidewalks

 • Economic housing:
Complete house based on submitted
specifications

• Socialized housing:
Shell house with doors and
windows to enclose the unit

Setbacks

MINIMUM LOT: ROWHOUSE

ROWHOUSE CLUSTER

BLOCK LENGTH

BUILDING DESIGN: SINGLE FAMILY

DWELLINGS

Access to property
Minimum floor areas
• Pathwalks may only be used as
• Socialized = 18 sqm. access to property only for socialized
housing.
• Economic = 22 sqm.

Minimum level of completion

OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS
 Windows
Ceiling heights
• Regular rooms: 10% of floor area
• Minimum ceiling height: 2.00m • Bathrooms: 5% of floor area

• Mezannine: 1.80m Stairways

• Riser: 250mm max.
• Tread: 200mm min.
• Width: 600mm min.
• Headroom: 2.0m min.
• Landing-to-landing: 3.6m

Handrails

• 800-1200mm from floor

Exits
• Handrails not required
• Less than 10 occupants: 1 for stairs with less than 4
steps
• 10 or more occupants: 2
Winding/circular stairways
Door heights • May be used if the required tread
dimension is provided at a point not
• 1.80m for bathroom and
more than 300mm from the narrow end
mezzanine doors
of the stairway
• Minimum tread at any point:
• 2.00m for all other doors
150mm
Door widths

• 800mm = main door

• 700mm = bedroom or service
door
• 600mm = bathroom
Are ladders allowed? Non-residential use
• Yes. But provide a landing every
1.8m of rise. • Maximum 25% of the total residential
area
Firewalls
• Required whenever a dwelling • When computing for
abuts on a property line the non-residential area,
• At least 150mm or 6 inches thick hallways / corridors
• 300mm extensions above roof and serving both
building edges residential/non-
• Ceilings should be residential shall be
compartmentalized and not continuous included in non-
from one space to another residential areas

Distances between buildings

• For 1 to 2-storey buildings:

– Between buildings: 4.00m
– Between eaves: 1.50m

• For 3-4 storey buildings:

– Between buildings: 6.00m
– Between eaves: 2.00m

Distances between buildings

• For buildings taller than 4 storeys

BUILDING DESIGN: FAMILY – Between buildings: 10.00m
DWELLINGS – Between eaves: 6.00m
Access to property
• The property must abut a public
street. Pathwalks are not allowed as
property access.

Non-residential use

• Portions of the property

may be designed for non-
residential use if the use is
harmonious or compatible
with the residential
character of the property
•Examples: Private
clinics, offices, garages,
carports
Distances between buildings

• Exception: Blank walls

– Blank wall: A wall

with no openings or only
minimal openings for
comfort rooms
– When the two sides of the
buildings are blank walls, the
minimum distances become:
• Between buildings: 2.00m
• Between eaves: 1.00m

Parking requirements

• Follow parking slot sizes in NBC

• For multi-family dwellings
and condominiums, provide 1 slot for 8
units
• Driveway may be used as a parking
area if the minimum RROW is
maintained
Off-site parking
• Off-site parking allowed as long
as it is NOT more than 100m away.

Minimum floor areas

• 18 sqm. = Socialized housing

• 18 sqm. = BP 220 condominium

• 22 sqm. = Economic housing

Exits and corridors

• Follow the NBC and the Fire Code

Fire suppression systems

• Required for structures more than
15 meters in height

Elevators

• Required for buildings 6 storeys

or higher

• The elevator’s design

shall conform to the
requirements in the NBC
and BP 344.
• Shall be ramped
towards adjoining curbs with
a gradient not more than
BP 344 1:12
• Shall be sloped
A. Outside and Around towards the road with a
maximum cross gradient of
Dropped Curbs 1:20
• The lowest point of the
• Dropped curbs curb should not exceed
should be provided 25mm height above the
at walkways with road/gutter
changes in
elevations

• Should be
provided at
pedestrian
crossings and at
end of footpaths
Curb Cut-outs
• Should be as
wide as the • Curb cut-outs
crossing or should only be
should be allowed when it will
900mm wide at not obstruct or
minimum lessen the width of a
walkway

• Minimum width
should be 900mm

• Should have a
gradient not more
than 1:12
 • In lengthy walkways, wheelchair
rest stops or turning spaces with
minimum dimension of 1500mm should
be provided (maximum distance of 12
Walkways meters between stops)

• Walkways should be • Straight forward

kept as level as possible routes with right angle
and provided with slip- turns should be observed
resistant material for the blind

• Minimum width is at
1200mm

• Should have a
gradient no more than 1:20
or 5% (1:100 max cross
gradient)

• Regular
maintenance of the
plantings adjacent
• Should not have abrupt to the walkway is
pitches in angle or interruptions needed to avoid
by cracks that create edges overgrowth and
above 6.5mm obstruction
• Grating openings at walkways • Walkway headroom shall
should have max dimension of not be less than 2 meters
13x13mm and shall not project
more than 6.5mm • Passageway for the
disabled should not be
obstructed by furniture,
bollards, etc
 Open Spaces

• Where open spaces are

provided, give walkways
Handrails defined edges either by the use
of planters with dwarf walls,
• Handrails should be installed at grass verge or similar which
both sides of ramps and stairs and at provides a texture different
the outer edges of dropped curbs at from the path. This helps the
crossings blind to determine the pathway.

• Shall be installed at
900mm and 700mm above
steps or ramps ( Height at 1
or 1.06 meters if for
protection at great heights)

Signage

• Directional and informational sign

should be located at points
conveniently seen even by a person on
a wheelchair

• Should be kept simple and easy

to understand, should be made of
contrasting colors and gray values to
make detection and reading easy
• 300mm long extension of handrail
should be provided at start and end of
ramps and stairs

• Hand grips should be 30 to 50mm

wide

• If attached to walls or
ledges it should have a
minimum clearance of 50mm
from the wall or 40mm from the
ledge
 – Be perpendicular to the
carriageway
– Be located at the narrowest part of
the road
– Have central refuges of at least 1.5 m
deep and preferably 2 m, where the
width of road to be crossed exceeds 10
m.
• Should a sign protrude
into a walkway, it should
have a min. headroom of 2
meters

• On walls and doors, it

should be located at max.
height of 1.60 meters and a min.
height of 1.40 meters

• Provide tactile blocks in the

immediate vicinity of
crossings as an aid to the
blind, should be high enough
to be felt but low enough to
not cause tripping
• Brushed or grooved
concrete have not proved
successful as tactile strips

• Labeling public
areas should have
embossed symbols
with min. height of
1mm (Braille should • Light controlled
also be included) crossings and
audible signals are
• Text on signboards best for the disabled
shall be of dimension that • Audible signals
people with less than should be
normal visual acuity can distinguishable like
read at a certain distance in indicating end of
crossing time
• A min. of 6
Crossings seconds crossing
period or crossing
• To reduce the exposure distance times 0.9
time to vehicular traffic, all m/sec crossing
at grade crossing should: speed, whichever is
greater should be • Entrance with
used vestibules shall be
provided a level area
Parking Areas with at least 1.8m depth
and a 1.5m width
• Accessible
parking slots should
have a minimum
width of 3.70m

• Should be close as
possible to building or
accessible entrances and
should be perpendicular or at an
angle to the road or circulation
areas

• Walkways from
accessible spaces of 1.2 m
clear width shall be provided
between front ends of parked
cars

• Signs or
markings for the
handicapped parking
should be provided
• Should never be located at
sloping areas
Ramps

• Change in elevation
require a ramp except when
served by a dropped curb, an
elevator or other mechanical
device
• Provide 1.2m clear width
with 1:12 max gradient
• Length of the ramp should
not exceed 6 meter if the
gradient is 1:12
• Ramps exceeding 6 meters
C. INSIDE whose gradient is 1:12 shall be
BUILDINGS AND provided with landings not less
STRUCTURES than 1.5m
• Level areas not less than
Entrance 1.8m should be provided at the
top and bottom
• At least 1 entrance • Handrails will be provided
to every building should on both sides at 700mm and
be accessible from 900mm from the ramp level
arrival and departure
points to the interior
lobby (1 entrance should
have elevator access)
 • Minimum clear level space
of 1.5x1.5m 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 1.2m
corridor width

• Shall be equipped with

curbs on both sides with a
minimum height of 100mm

• Ramp with a rise greater

than 200mm and leads down
towards a vehicular area, should
have a railing across the full
width of its lower end not less
than 1.5m from the foot of the
ramp

• Out swinging doors

should be provided at storage
room, closets and PWD toilet
stall

• Latching or non-latching,
hardware should not require wrist
or fine-finger actions
• Doorknobs and other
hardware should be located
between 0.82m and 1.06m
Doors above the floor (900mm is
preferred)
• 800mm minimum clear
width for doors (measured • Vertical pull handles centered at
between surface of the fully 1.06m above the floor are preferred to
open door at the hinge and horizontal pull bars for all doors
the door jamb at the stop)
• Should be operable by • Doors along major
force not more than 4 kg circulation routes should
(closing device pressure shall be provided with kick
not exceed 1 kg) plates at a height of
300mm to 400mm
 Corridors

• 1.2 meter
minimum clear
width for
corridors (Shall
have no
obstruction)

• Turnabout spaces with minimum

area of 1.5x1.5 m and spaced at a
maximum of 12 m shall be provided for
wheelchair passes and turning around
of wheelchairs

Thresholds Corridors

• Turnabout spaces should

• Thresholds and also be provided at or within
sliding door tracks shall 3.5m of every dead-end
have a maximum height
of 25mm and preferably • As in walkways,
ramped corridors should be
maintained level and
Switches provided with slip
resistant surface
• Manual
switches shall
be positioned
within 1.2m to
1.3m above the
floor

• Manual switches shall be

located no further than 200mm
from the latch side of the door

Washrooms & Toilets

• 1.7 x 1.8 meters minimum

dimension for accessible toilets
• 1 movable grab bar and 1 fixed to
the adjacent wall shall be installed at
the accessible water closet stall for
lateral mounting, fixed grab bars on
both sides for frontal mounting

• A turning space of 2.25 sqm

with a min. dimension of 1.5m for
wheelchairs shall be provided vertical clearance and a 500mm
outside water closet stalls depth

• Minimum of 1 accessible • Urinals

water closets on each floor level should have
(or on that part of a floor elongated lip or
accessible to the PWD) where the should be trough-
total number of water closets per type, the maximum
sex is 20 height of the lip
should be 480mm

• Signage of men’s
washroom shall be an equilateral
triangle with a vertex pointing
upward (length of sides should
• Minimum of 2 accessible be 300mm)
water closets on each floor level
(or on that part of a floor • Signage of women’s
accessible to the PWD) where washroom shall be a circle
the total number of water closets (diameter should be 300mm)
per sex exceed 20 • Signage should at least be 7.5mm
thick
• Max height of water
closet should be 450mm, • Treads should be of slip-
flush control should have a resistant material and edges of
max height of 1.2m steps should be colored to be
easily seen

• Slanted nosing
are preferred over
protruding nosing to
avoid feet getting
caught in the recessed
areas (Open stringer
should be avoided)

• Maximum height of
lavatories should be 800mm with
a knee recess of 600-700mm
• A 300m wide tactile strip
shall be provided before
hazardous areas such as
sudden changes in elevation
and at the top and bottom of
stairs

• Button
sizes shall
have a
minimum
diameter of
20mm with
maximum
• Accessible elevators depression
should be located not more depth of
than 30 meters from the 1mm
entrance

• Shall have a minimum dimension

of 1.1 x 1.4 meters
• Centerline height of
topmost buttons shall be
between 0.9-1.2 m from the floor

Water Fountains

• At least 1 fountain shall be

provided for every 2000 sqm of floor
area and there shall not be less than 1
on each floor.

• If wall mounted, the max height

shall be 850mm from the floor to the
rim and shall be push-button controlled
Public Telephones – Railing should incorporate
tapping rails that should not
• Provide an unobstructed be greater than 350mm above
space of 1.5 x 1.5 m in front the adjacent surface
of the telephone unit
– Fence should be strong
• Booth door enough to resist people walking in
openings should have a to it and gaps between adjoining
minimum clear width of fences should not occur
800mm with either out
swing, folding or sliding
door
• Controls shall be
located at a maximum
height of 1.1m above the
floor

COVERS FOR EXCAVATION

D. SAFETY

Fencing For Road & Foot Works

• All excavations must be protected

or fenced-in, whatever type of fence
used, it is important that the railing
should incorporate the following
features:
– Height of the rail should be
at least 1 m above the adjacent
surface
SIGNAGES