AHS REVIEWER quadruplex or terraces, and cluster

housing.
BP 220
● Housing Law Row house
● The revised IRRs for BP 220 were approved ● a single-attached dwelling containing
by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory 3 or more separate living units
Board in November 2008. designed in such a way that they abut
● Applies to the development of economic and each other at the sides, as in a row,
socialized housing projects and are separated from each other by
● Shall apply to the development of either a party walls; provided with
house and lot or a house or lot only independent access, and use of land.
● There shall be a maximum of 20 units
RULE V MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS per block or cluster but in no case
shall this be beyond 100 meters in
Section 19. Definition of terms length.
Alley
● a public way with a width of 2.0 meters Single-family dwelling
intended to break a block and to serve both ● shall mean single family per lot.
pedestrian and for emergency vehicles, both
ends connecting to streets. It shall not be used Multi Family Dwelling
as access to property. ● a dwelling on 1 lot containing
separate living units for 3 or more
Block families, usually provided with
● A parcel of land bounded on the sides by common access, services and use of
streets occupied by or intended for buildings. land.

Board or HLURB B. Level of Completion

● shall mean the Housing and Land Use
Regulatory Board. Shell house
● a habitable dwelling unit which meets
Cluster Housing the minimum requirements for a
● single-family detached dwelling unit containing housing core with the following
three or more separate living units grouped additional components being included
closely together to form relatively compact as part thereof:
structures.
1) All exterior walls to enclose the
Community Facilities unit
● facilities or structures intended to serve 2) Openings for doors and windows
common needs and for the benefit of the 3) Plumbing fixtures
community, such as neighborhood/multi 4) Electrical wiring within the unit
purpose center, drugstore, school, livelihood 5) Floor
center, and the like.
Complete House
Dwelling ● a habitable dwelling unit which meets
● a building designed or used as residence for the minimum requirements for a shell
one or more families. house with the following additional
components being included as part
A. Dwelling Types thereof: all windows and doors and
partition walls for separating
Single Detached functional areas.
● a dwelling for 1 family which is
completely surrounded by permanent Economic Housing
open spaces, with independent ● a type of housing project provided to average
access, services, and use of land. income families.

Duplex/Single Attached Fire Resistive Time Period Rating

● a dwelling containing 2 or more ● fire resistive time period is the length of time a
separate living units each of which is material can withstand being burned, which
separated from another by party or lot may be 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours or
lines walls more.
● provided with independent access,
services, and use of land. Such
dwelling shall include duplexes,
Firewall housing projects. It shall have a width of 3.0
● any wall which separates 2 abutting living meters and a maximum length of 60 meters.
units and extends vertically from the lowest
portion of the wall which adjoins the 2 living Parks/Playgrounds
units up to a minimum height of 0.30 meter ● that portion of the subdivision which is
above the highest portion of the roof attached generally not built on and intended for passive
to it; the firewall shall also extend horizontally or active recreation.
up to a minimum distance beyond the
outermost edge of the abutting living units. Socialized Housing
● refers to housing programs and projects
Frontage covering houses and lots and homelots only
● that part or end of a lot which abuts a street. undertaken by the government or the private
sector for the underprivileged and homeless
Living Unit citizens which shall include sites and services
● a dwelling, or portion thereof, providing development, long term financing, liberalized
complete living facilities for 1 family, including terms on interest payments, and such other
provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, eating, benefits in accordance with the provisions of
bathing and toilet facilities and laundry R.A. 7279 or the urban development and
facilities, the same as a single-family dwelling. housing act of 1992.

Lot RULE II: MINIMUM DESIGN STANDARDS AND

● a portion of a subdivision or any parcel of land REQUIREMENTS FOR ECONOMIC AND
intended as a unit for transfer of ownership or SOCIALIZED HOUSING PROJECTS
for building development.
Section 4.B. Basic needs of human settlements,
Lot Line Wall enumerated in descending order as follows:
● a wall used only by the party upon whose lot
the wall is located, erected at a line separating 1. Water
two parcels of land each of which is a separate 2. Movement and circulation
real estate entity. 3. Storm drainage
4. Solid and liquid waste disposal
Multi Family Dwelling 5. Park/playground
● a dwelling on one lot containing separate living 6. Power
units for 3 or more families, usually provided
with common access, services and use of The provision of these basic needs shall be based on
land. the actual setting within which the project site is
located.
Occupancy
● the purpose for which a building is used or Section 4.C. Affordability levels of target market
intended to be used. The term shall also Affordable cost
include the building or room housing such use. ● refers to the most reasonable price of land and
Change of occupancy is not intended to shelter based on the needs and financial
include change of tenants or proprietors. capability of Program Beneficiaries and
Appropriate Financing Schemes (RA 7279)
Open Space
● shall refer to areas allocated for the following Section 4.D. Location
purposes: Both economic and socialized housing projects shall be
a. Circulation located within suitable sites for housing and outside
b. Community facilities potential hazard prone and protection areas.
c. Park/playground
d. Easements Section 5.A. Site Criteria
e. Courts 1. Availability of basic needs
2. Conformity with the Zoning Ordinance or
Party Wall Land Use Plan of the City/Municipality
● a wall used jointly by two parties under 3. Physical Suitability
easement agreement, erected upon a line 4. Accessibility
separating 2 parcels of land each of which is a
separate real estate. Section 5.B. Planning Considerations
1. Area Planning
Pathwalk 2. Site Preservation/Alteration
● a public way intended to be used only as a. Slope
pedestrian access to property for socialized b. Preservation of Site Assets
c. Ground Cover
 3. Easements ● However, the developer may provide for areas
4. Circulation for community facilities such as schools and
convenience/retail centers in excess of the
Section 5.C. Design Parameters requirement set forth in this Rule which shall
be deemed saleable. The use of the said area
1. Land Allocation shall be indicated in the plan and annotated in
a. Saleable Areas the title thereto.
● There shall be no fixed ratio between the
saleable portion and non-saleable portion of a Table 2: Facilities According to the Number of
subdivision project. Saleable Lots/ Dwelling Units for Subdivision
Projects 1 Hectare and Above
b. Non-saleable Areas
● Non-saleable areas shall conform with the
minimum requirements for open space
comprising those allotted for circulation
system, community facilities and parks and
playgrounds.

b.1. Allocation of Area for Parks and Playgrounds

● Area allocated for parks and playgrounds shall
● Community facilities shall be strategically
be mandatory for projects 1 hectare or above
located and easily accessible where they can
and shall be strategically located within the
serve a maximum number of population,
subdivision project.
preferably near or side by side by
park/playground.
● Allocated areas for parks and playgrounds
● The area allocated for community facilities
shall be non-alienable and non buildable for
shall vary with the density of the subdivision,
community hall but buildable for basketball
i.e., number of lots and/or living units
court. It shall be exclusive of those areas
whichever is applicable, as shown below:
allocated for community facilities and shall
vary according to the density of lots and/or
Table 3: Community Facilities Allocation
dwelling units in the subdivision, whichever is
applicable, as shown below:

Table 1: Parks and Playground Allocations

b.3. Circulation System

● The area allocated for the circulation system
shall not be fixed, as long as the prescribed
dimension and requirements for access (both
for project site and dwelling units) specified in
● In no case shall an area allocated for parks these Rules are complied with.
and playgrounds be less than 100 square ● Land circulation system shall comply with the
meters. An addition of 1% increment for every pertinent requirements of BP 344 otherwise
10 or fraction thereof above 225. known as the Accessibility Law.
● The site shall not be subject to flooding nor ● Below are the planning considerations to be
situated on steep slopes. Sites potentially observed for circulation layout:
hazardous or dangerous to the health and
safety of users, especially children, should be a. Observance of the hierarchy of roads within
avoided, e.g., along rivers, near dumping sites, the subdivision.
etc. b. Conformance to natural topography. c.
● Location of parks shall be based on hierarchy, Consideration for access and safety, e.g.,
accessibility and shall be free from hazards, adequate radius, minimum number of roads at
risks, barriers, etc. intersections, moderate slope/grade, adequate
sight distance, no blind corners, etc.
b.2. Area Allocated for Community Facilities d. Optimization as to the number of lots to
● Mandatory provision of area for neighborhood lessen area for roads, at the same time
multi-purpose center both for economic and enhances community interaction.
socialized housing projects with a gross area
of 1 hectare and above. These areas are
non-saleable.
b.3.1. Hierarchy of Roads
Hierarchy of roads (with respect to function, dimensions
and project area) shall be observed when planning the
road network such that no major or minor road aligns
with an alley or pathwalk.

Table 4: Hierarchy of Roads

b.3.2. Road Right-Of-Way

The corresponding right-of-way for hierarchy of roads
● Subdivision projects abutting a main public
shall be as follows:
road must provide sufficient setbacks with a
minimum dimension of 3.0 meters in depth
Table 5: Road Right-of-Way
and 5.0 meters in length at both sides of the
subdivision entrance to accommodate loading
and unloading of passengers.

● The minimum right-of-way of major roads shall

be in accordance with the preceding table. ● Contiguous projects or projects to be
However, in cases where the major road will developed by phases shall be provided with
serve as an interconnecting road, it shall have interconnecting roads with a minimum
a minimum right-of-way of 10 meters. It shall right-of-way of 10.0 meters.
have a 15-centimeter mix gravel (pit run) base ● Alley shall have a width of 2.0 meters intended
course on well-compacted sub grade. to break a block and to serve both pedestrians
● Major roads shall maintain a uniform width of and for emergency purposes, both ends
road right-of-way. Tapering of road width shall connecting to streets. It shall not be used as
not be allowed where the road right-of-way is access to the property.
wider than the prescribed standard for the ● Pathwalk shall have a width of 3.0 meters
interconnecting road of the proposed intended only to provide pedestrian access to
subdivision. property for socialized housing projects. It
● Minor roads shall have a right-of-way of 6.50 shall have a maximum length of 60 meters.
meters wide.
b.3.3 Planting Strips
Note: Planting strips as required under PD 953 and its
● Interior subdivision projects must secure the Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be observed
right-of-way to the nearest public road and the in accordance with the following road specifications:
right-of-way shall be designated as an Table 6: Width of Planting Strips and Sidewalks
interconnecting road with a minimum width of
10 meters. This fact shall be annotated on the
title of the said road lot and must be donated
and deemed turned over to the LGU upon
completion of the said interconnecting road.

Note: Refer to Supplemental Rules and Regulations to

Implement PD 953 Tree Planting. – Every owner of an
existing subdivision is required among others to plant
trees in designated areas as per Resolution No. R-532,
series of 1993. (Approving the Rules and Regulations
Implementing PD 953 “Requiring the Planting of Trees ● Lot shall be so laid out that administrative
in Certain Places and Penalizing Unauthorized Cutting, boundaries, water courses/drainage ways
Destruction, Damaging and Injuring of Certain Trees, utility lines do not bisect the lots.
Plans and Vegetation”).
b. Minimum Lot Area
b.3.4 Road Pavement
Major, minor roads and motor court for economic and Table 7. Minimum Lot Area
socialized housing projects shall be paved with asphalt
with minimum thickness of 50 millimeters or concrete
with minimum thickness of 150 millimeters and a
minimum compressive strength of 20.7 Mpa at 28 days.
Sidewalk or alley shall be of macadam finish.
Note:
1. Saleable lots designated as duplex/single attached
b.3.5 Road Intersection
and/or row house lots shall be provided with housing
Roads should intersect at right angles as much as
components.
practicable. Multiple intersections along major roads
2. Price of saleable lots intended for single detached
shall be minimized. Distance between offset
units shall not exceed 40% of the maximum selling
intersections should not be less than 20 meters from
price of the house and lot package.
corner to corner. Road intersections shall be provided
with adequate curb radii consistent with sound
c. Lot Frontages
engineering principles.
Table 8. Minimum Lot Frontage
b.3.6 Road Grade/Slope
● Crown of the roads shall have a slope of not
less than 1.5 to 9 percent.
● Grades and vertical curbs shall conform to the
design requirements of the Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

2. Lot Requirement Note:

a. Lot Planning For row houses, there shall be a maximum of 20 units
● a.1 per block or cluster but in no case shall this be more
A lot shall be served by an independent than 100 meters in length.
access either by a road, motor court, or path
walk. Path walk shall have a maximum length 3. Length of Block
of 60 meters intended only as pedestrian Maximum block length is 400 meters. However, block
access to property for socialized housing length exceeding 250 meters shall already be provided
projects. with a 2-meter alley approximately at midlength.

● a.2 4. Shelter Component

Deep lots and irregularly shaped lots shall be
avoided. a. Floor Area Requirement
The minimum floor area requirement for single-family
● a.3 dwelling:
Whenever possible, lot frontage elevation shall ● 22 square meters for economic housing
be at street level. ● 18 square meters for socialized housing

● a.4 b. Minimum Level of Completion

Lots shall be protected against physical ● Economic housing shall be a complete house
hazards. No lot shall be laid out where based on the submitted specifications.
potential risks exist (e.g. erosion, slides, ● For socialized housing, it shall be a shell
flooding, fault lines, etc.) house with doors and windows to enclose the
unit.
● a.5 ● Provision of firewall shall be mandatory for
Lots shall be protected against duplex and single-attached units and at every
non-conforming uses and/or other risks unit for row houses.
through the provision of adequate buffer strips,
protective walls, and roads or other similar 5. Setback/Yard
devices. The minimum setback of dwelling unit both for
economic and socialized housing project shall be as
● a.6 follows:
 9. Drainage System
a. Front Setback 1.5 m.
● The design of the drainage system of the
b. Side yard 1.5 m. (from the building line) subdivision shall take into consideration
existing development of adjacent areas
c. Rear yard 2.0 m. relative to their impact/effect on its drainage
system, if any. Further, it shall conform with
d. Abutments May be allowed per the natural drainage pattern of the subdivision
requirements of the National site, and shall drain into appropriate water
Building Code of the bodies or public drainage system or natural
Philippines
outfalls. In no case shall drainage outfalls
drain into a private lot. Its layout shall conform
6. Water Supply with sound engineering design principles
● Whenever a public water supply system exists, certified by a duly licensed civil/sanitary
connection to it by the subdivision is engineer. Drain lines shall be of durable
mandatory. materials and approved installation practices.
● Each lot and/or living unit shall be served with ● The minimum drainage system for economic
water connection (regardless of the type of and socialized housing shall be concrete lined
distribution system). canal with load bearing cover.
● Water supply provided by the local water ● In case of non-existence of drainage system in
district shall be potable and adequate. It shall the locality, catchment area for drainage
be complemented/ supplemented by other discharge shall be provided for and developed
sources, when necessary, such as communal by the owner/developer in consultation with
well, which may be located strategically for local authorities or private entities concerned,
ease and convenience in fetching water by to prevent flooding of adjacent property.
residents and at the same time not closer than Moreover, said catchment area shall be made
300 meters from each other. safe and maintained.
● If a public water supply system is not ● If applicable, the underground drainage
available, the developer shall provide for an system shall be provided with adequate
independent water supply system within the reinforced concrete pipes (RCP), catch basins,
subdivision project. Minimum quantity manholes/inlets and cross drain for efficient
requirement shall be 150 liters per capita per maintenance. Minimum drainage pipe shall be
day. 300 milimeters.
● Each subdivision must have at least an
operational deep well and pump sets with 10. Garbage Disposal System
sufficient capacity to provide average daily Garbage disposal shall be undertaken by the local
demand (ADD) to all homeowners provided a government or in the absence thereof, by individual lot
spare pump and motor set is reserved. owners or homeowners association, with proper
observance of sanitary practices and methods.
7. Electrical Power Supply
● When power is available within the locality of 11. Fire Firefighting
the project site, its connection to the The Homeowners Association shall form a fire brigade
subdivision is required. in collaboration with the barangay fire brigade. Water
● Provision of street lighting per pole shall be for fire fighting shall be part of the water supply
mandatory if poles are 50-meter distance and requirements and shall comply with the requirements of
at every other pole if the distance is less than the local/district fire unit of the Philippine National
50 meters. Police.

8. Sewage Disposal System Section 6. Building Design Standards and Guidelines

a. Septic Tank Projects incorporating housing components shall
● The sewage disposal system shall be comply with the following design standards and
communal or individual septic tank conforming guidelines.
to the design standard of the Sanitation Code
of the Philippines. A. Single-Family Dwelling (Applicable for both
Economic and Socialized Housing)
b. Connection to Community Sewer System
● Whenever applicable, connections shall be 1. Lot Planning
made to an approved public or community a. Access to the Property
sewer system, subject to the requirements and ● Direct access to the single-family
provisions of the Sanitation Code of the dwelling shall be provided by means
Philippines and other applicable rules and of an abutting public street or
regulations with regard to materials and pathwalk. However, pathwalk shall
installation practices. only be allowed as pedestrian access
 to property for Socialized Housing Table 10: Private Open Space Requirements
projects.

b. Access to the Dwelling Unit

● An independent means of access to
the dwelling unit shall be provided
without trespassing adjoining
properties. Acceptable means of
access to the rear yard of the
dwelling unit shall be provided
without passing through any other
dwelling unit or any other yard. ● Window opening as prescribed in number
2.C.2 below.
c. Open Space Requirements ● Firewall shall have a minimum of one-hour fire
● Open spaces shall be located totally resistive rating.
or distributed anywhere within the lot
in such a manner as to provide 2. Building Design Standards (Applicable for both
maximum light and ventilation into the Economic and Socialized Housing)
building. a. Space Standards
b. Ceiling Heights
d. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts or Yards ● Minimum ceiling height for habitable
● The minimum horizontal dimension of rooms shall be measured from the
courts and yards shall not be less finished floor line to the ceiling line.
than 2.0 meters. ● Where ceilings are not provided, a
● All inner courts shall be connected to minimum headroom clearance of 2.0
a street or yard, either by a meters shall be provided.
passageway with a minimum width of ● Mezzanine floors shall have a clear
1.20 meters or by a door through a ceiling height of not less than 1.80
room or rooms. meters above and below it, provided
● Every court shall have a width of not that it shall not cover 50% of the floor
less than 2.0 meters for one and two area below it.
storey buildings. However, this may c. Openings
be reduced to not less than 1.50 Doors
meters in cluster living units such as ● A minimum of one entrance/exit shall
quadruplexes, row houses and the be provided where the number of
like, one or two stories in height with occupants is not more than 10
adjacent courts with an area of not ● 2 entrances/exits where the number
less than 3 square meters. of occupants is greater than 10.
● Provided, further, that the separation ● Doors shall have a minimum clear
walls or fences, if any, shall not be height of 2.0 meters. Except for
higher than 2.0 meters. Irregularly bathroom and mezzanine doors
shaped lots such as triangular lots which shall have a minimum clear
and the like whose courts may also height of 1.80 meters.
be triangular in shape may be ● Minimum clear widths of doors shall
exempted from having a minimum be as follows:
width of 2.0 meters, provided that no
side thereof shall be less than 3.0 Main door 0.80 m.
meters. Service/Bedroom Doors 0.70 m.
Bathroom Door 0.60 m.
e. Abutments
● Abutments on the side and rear Windows
property lines may be allowed ● Rooms for habitable use shall be
provided the following requirements provided with windows with a total
shall be complied with: free area of openings equal to at
least 10% of the floor area of the
room.
● Bathrooms shall be provided with
window/s with an area not less than
1/20 of its floor area.
Interior Stairs Table 11: Minimum Setbacks per Storey
Minimum width 0.60 m.

Maximum riser height 0.25 m.

Minimum tread width 0.20 m.

Minimum head clearance 2.0 m.

Landing width equal to the width of

the stairway
● The minimum distance between buildings that
Maximum height between 3.60 m. do not exceed 2 storeys
landing ○ 4.0 meters
● Minimum horizontal clearance between the
handrails shall not be less than two roof eaves
0.80 meter or more ○ 1.50 meters
than 1.20 meters ● The minimum distance between two buildings
above the upper
surface of the tread with 3 or 4 storeys
○ 6.0 meters
● And the minimum horizontal clearance
d. Roofing between the two roof eaves
● Roofing material that is impervious to ○ 2.0 meters
water shall be provided.
Parking Requirements
e. Electrical Requirements ● For multi-family dwellings and condominiums,
● There shall be provided at least one the parking requirement shall be one (1)
light outlet and one convenience parking slot per eight (8) living units.
outlet per activity area. ● Perpendicular parking - 2.5 m. x 5.0 m.
● Diagonal parking - 2.15 m. x 6.0 m.
f. Firewall ● The driveway may be used as a parking area
● shall be of masonry construction, at provided that the minimum right-of-way shall
least 150 millimeters or 6 inches thick be maintained.
and extend vertically from the lowest
portion of the wall adjoining the living Living Units
units up to a minimum height of 0.30 ● For BP 220 condominium projects, minimum
meter above the highest point of the floor area of 18 square meters.
roof attached to it.
● The firewall shall also extend Elevator Requirements
horizontally up to a minimum distance ● Elevators are required for buildings 6 storeys
of 0.30 meter beyond the outermost and above.
edge of the abutting living units.
● A firewall shall be provided for General Construction Requirements
duplex/single-attached units and at
every unit for row houses. No a. Structural Requirements
openings whatsoever shall be b. Electrical Requirements
allowed except when the two abutting c. Sanitary Requirements
spaces of 2 adjacent living units are d. Construction Materials
unenclosed or partially open, e.g.
carports, terraces, patios, etc.; Section 4. DEFINITION OF TERMS
instead, a separation wall shall be
required. Existing Subdivision
● shall refer to subdivision projects whose plans
Open Space Requirements have been approved after July 6, 1976 by the
Portions of the property shall be devoted to open space government authorities concerned, provided
to provide adequate light, ventilation and fire safety. that the road lots and open spaces therein
have not yet been issued certificate of
completion by the Board and donated to the
local government unit concerned or to the
Homeowners Association in the case of parks
and playground. It shall include those projects
approved prior to July 1976 if the same were
registered and issued license to sell after July
6, 1976.
Subdivision
● it shall refer to a subdivision as defined under
PD 957 and which have designated open
spaces and delineated road lots/service
streets in the approved plans.

Open spaces
● shall mean an area reserved exclusively for
parks, playgrounds, recreational uses and
other similar facilities and amenities.

Road Lots
● shall include roads, sidewalks, alleys and
planting strips and its gutters, drainage and
sewerage.

Application
● refers to applications for development permit,
alteration, license to sell, requests for
extension of time, advertisement, mortgage
clearance and other similar permits pursuant
to PD 957 and other related laws and its
implementing rules and regulations.

Deputees
● refers to the heads of regional field offices of
the Board or the local government official
deputized pursuant to the rules implementing
EO 71 Series of 1993.

LAWS

BP 220 - Housing Law

BP 344 - Accessibility Law
PD 953 - Requires to Plant Trees
PD 957 - Subdivision and Condominium Buyers’
Protective Decree
RA 7279 - Affordable Cost
RA 1216 - Defining Open Space in Residential
Subdivisions
ACT 440 - Department of Agrarian Reform
ACT 496 - Land Registration Act
EO 72 -Comprehensive Land Use Plan