BUILDING CODES AND EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS

BUILDING CODES AND EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS

It took recent tremors all over the country to remind us again of an uncomfortable truth — our National Building Code of the Philippines (PD 1096) was passed way back in 1977 and has not been substantially updated since. That was almost fifty years ago. In the meantime, both the planet and our country have changed drastically. Earthquakes have grown more destructive, storms have become stronger, and our buildings have grown taller. The question is: has our building code kept pace?

I don’t think so.

When Presidential Decree 1096 was enacted during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., it was an important milestone. It standardized how we built our homes, schools, and offices. But like any structure that is not maintained, it has now become outdated and brittle. Technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. We now have satellite monitoring, artificial intelligence for ground movement analysis, and sensors that can detect tremors seconds before they hit. Yet our building code still lives in the analog age.

To be fair, its companion manual — the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) — gets updated every five years. Engineers rely on it to calculate loads and stresses for modern buildings. But the mother code itself, the NBCP, remains stuck in 1977. Shouldn’t we, at the very least, revise it every decade, just as we update our economic plans and census data?

When was it last updated?

The official timeline tells a story of inaction. PD 1096 was passed in 1977. There were some technical adjustments between 2005 and 2020 in the NSCP, mostly about wind speeds and structural loads. The House of Representatives approved a new Philippine Building Act (House Bill 8500) in 2023, and this year the Senate filed its own version (Senate Bill 277). But as of October 2025, the measure still sits in committee. How long do we have to wait — for another magnitude 7 quake perhaps — before we make it a priority?

Earthquake science has moved on

Modern seismology now gives us the power to model what will happen if the “Big One” strikes the Marikina Valley Fault or if a deep tremor hits Surigao again. We cannot predict the exact date and time, but we can simulate the probable damage and use that data to craft stronger design standards. Japan and California have done this for decades. The technology is available; the question is whether we are willing to integrate it into law.

Agencies like PHIVOLCS maintain a comprehensive earthquake database and even publish interactive maps online. JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) has been helping us update seismic hazard maps and assess old bridges and public buildings. Yet we seem slow to institutionalize what we learn. Have we made good use of JICA’s studies, or are they just sitting in filing cabinets?

Corruption undermines safety

Even the best codes will fail if the people who implement them are corrupt. Many of our public infrastructure projects have been criticized for being substandard, a word that has almost become synonymous with “government-built.” If contractors are cutting corners, then a new building code will only be as good as the officials who enforce it. Perhaps the new law should include stiffer penalties for structural negligence and graft, especially for public works engineers and contractors. Lives depend on their integrity.

It’s not just about earthquakes

When PD 1096 was written, climate change was not yet a household term. But now, we must also design for super typhoons and floods that are far more intense than those of the 1970s. A modern code should require flood-resilient architecture — elevated foundations, permeable pavements, proper drainage, and green building materials that can survive both heat and humidity.

What the new code should contain

Experts propose that the revised law include mandatory site-specific hazard assessments before construction. This means that if you build near a fault line, your structure must meet stricter standards. Old buildings should also be retrofitted — not just schools and hospitals, but also government offices and bridges that have long exceeded their design life.

It’s encouraging that engineers now use base isolation systems, shear-wall reinforcements, and column jacketing to strengthen older buildings. But without a legal mandate, these technologies will remain optional, and optional safety is dangerous.

The revision should also integrate digital permitting systems, IoT-based monitoring, and open-access geohazard maps so that compliance can be tracked in real time. We already have the technology. What we need is political will.

Lessons from abroad

In Japan, the 1995 Kobe earthquake was a turning point. It exposed the weaknesses of their then-current code, prompting major reforms that saved thousands of lives in subsequent quakes. In Turkey, the 2023 disaster revealed what happens when lax enforcement meets poor construction. The Philippines sits squarely on the Pacific Ring of Fire; we cannot afford to learn the same lesson the hard way.

A call for sustained review

Perhaps the new code should contain a built-in provision requiring mandatory review every ten years, led by PHIVOLCS, DPWH, and the professional engineering associations. That way, the law itself evolves with science. Buildings are not static; neither should our laws be.

The bigger picture

Ultimately, resilience is not just about concrete and steel — it’s about governance and foresight. A resilient nation anticipates danger before it strikes. We should stop reacting to disasters and start designing against them. Every life lost in a collapsed building is a policy failure written in rubble.

So, will it take another deadly quake for us to realize that the 1977 code belongs to the archives, not the future? My hope is that when the Senate finally debates the new building act, it will not just be about updating a decree — it will be about building a safer, smarter Philippines that learns from its own fault lines.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 03-02-2026