House integrates Building Code into eng’g courses
The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, chaired by Baguio Rep. Mark Go, has approved the bill seeking the integration of the National Building Code of the Philippines in the curriculum of Engineering courses.
House Bill
(HB) 823, authored by Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, states that the
National Building Code shall be among the subjects in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Sanitary Engineering and Architectural engineering courses.
“It is imperative that these professionals be made fully aware of the provisions of the Philippine National Building Code and its implementing rules and regulations during the formative years in the pursuit of their chosen profession which has to do with building construction,” Gonzales said.
He said casualties arising from calamities, such as the fire that hit Resorts
World Manila in
June 2017, could have been avoided had there been a strict compliance to the requirements of the Building Code. Gonzales, in the bill, cited the principles of the National Building Code of the Philippines, which states that it is the purpose of the Code to “provide for all buildings and structures, a framework of minimum standards and requirements to regulate and control their locations, site, design, quality of materials, construction, use, occupancy and maintenance.”
The committee, during its first hearing, also tackled other proposals that were mostly approved on third and final reading during the 17th Congress.
Meanwhile, 1st District Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo moved for the creation of a technical working group that will harmonize three measures — HB 1770, 2197 and 3741 — all seeking to mandate higher education and technical institutions to ensure the safety and security of teachers and students from threats by creating a crime prevention committee.
CHED officer-in-charge executive director Atty. Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro and National Youth commissioner James Ceasar Ventura agreed to the passing of the three bills, which will ensure the safety of the academic community.
HB 1770 is authored by Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte, HB 2197 by Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, and HB 3741 by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.