A house of not more than two storeys, composed of a row of dwelling units entirely separated from one

1 ACCESSORIA OR ROW HOUSE another by party wall or walls and with an independent entrance for each dwelling units.
A building subordinate to the main building on the same lot and used for purposes customarily
2 ACCESSORY BUILDING incidental to those of the main building such as servants quarters, garage, pump house, laundry, etc.
A building designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other
3 AGRICULTURAL BUILDING horticultural products. This structure shall not be a place of human habitation or a place of employment
where agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged; nor shall it be used by the public.
Any public space or thoroughfare which has been dedicated or deeded to the public or public use as a
4 ALLEY passageway with a width of not more than three meters.
5 ALTER OR ALTERATION Any change, addition, or modification in construction of occupancy.
A room or suite of two or more rooms, designed and intended for, or occupied by one family for living,
6 APARTMENT sleeping, and cooking purposes.
Any building or portion thereof, which is designed, built, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied,
7 APARTMENT HOUSE or which is occupied as the home or residence of three or more families living independently of each
other and doing their own cooking in the building, and shall include flats and apartments.
Any portion of a building above the first floor projecting over the sidewalk beyond the first-storey wall
8 ARCADE used as protection for pedestrians against rain or sun.
A building or a portion of a building used for gathering together of fifty or more persons for such
9 ASSEMBLY BUILDING OR HALL purposes as deliberation, workshop, entertainment, amusement, or awaiting transportation or of a
hundred or more persons in drinking and dining establishments.
Any storey situated wholly or partly in a roof, so designed, arranged, or built as to be used for business,
10 ATTIC STOREY storage, or habitation.
A movable shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building and of a type which can be
11 AWNING retracted, folded, or collapsed against the face of a supporting building.
12 BACKING The surface or assembly to which veneer is attached.
A portion of the seating space of an assembly room, the lowest part of which is raised 1.20 meters or
13 BALCONY more above the level of the main floor.
egress. The long size shall be at least fifty percent open, and the open area above the guardrail shall be
14 BALCONY EXTERIOR EXIT so distributed as to prevent the accumulation of smoke or toxic gases.
15 BARBECUE A stationary open hearth or brazier, either fuel-fired or electric, used for food preparation.
A portion of a building between floor and ceiling which is partly below and partly above grade but so
16 BASEMENT located that the vertical distance from the grade to the floor is less than the vertical distance from grade
to ceiling.
One of the intervals or spaces into which the building front is divided by columns, buttresses, or
17 BAY OR PANEL division walls.
A house with five or more sleeping rooms where boarders are provided with lodging, and meals for a
18 BOARDING HOUSE fixed sum paid by the month, or week, in accordance with previous arrangement.
19 BOILER ROOM Any room containing a steam or hotwater boiler.
20 BUILDABLE AREA The remaining space in a lot after deducting the required minimum open spaces.
Any structure built for the support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or property of
21 BUILDING any kind.
roof, to the average height of the highest gable or a pitch or hip roof, or to the top of the parapet if the
22 BUILDING HEIGHT roof is provided with a parapet. In case of sloping ground, the average ground level of the buildable
area shall be considered the established grade elevation.
23 BUILDING LENGTH Its general linear dimensions usually measured in the direction of the bearing wall for girders.
24 BUILDING WIDTH Its shortest linear dimensions usually measured in the direction of the floor, beams or joists.
located that the vertical distance from grade to the floor below is equal to or greater than the vertical
25 CELLAR distance from grade to ceiling.
26 CHIMNEY CLASSIFICATIONS:
(a) RESIDENTIAL APPLIANCE TYPE
(b) LOW-HEAT APPLIANCE TYPE
(c) MEDIUM HEAT APPLIANCE TYPE
27 CHIMNEY CONNECTOR The pipe which connects a flue-burning appliance to a chimney.
28 CHIMNEY LINER The lining materials of fire clay or other approved material.
The chimney of solid masonry units bricks, stones, listed hollow unit masonry units, or reinforced
29 CHIMNEY, MASONRY concrete.
 A hollow or solid concrete masonry unit made from portland cement and suitable aggregates such as
30 CONCRETE BLOCK sand, gravel, crushed stone, bituminous or anthracite cinders, burned clay, pumice, volcanic scoria, air
cooled or expanded blast furnace slags.
31 COPING The material or units used to form a cap of finish on top of a wall, pier, or pilaster.
The non-ferrous metal, or any metal having an unbroken surface of non-ferrous metal, or steel with not
32 CORROSION-RESISTANT less than 10 percent chromium or with less than 0.20 percent copper.
CORROSION-RESISTANT Materials that are inherently rust-resistant or materials to which an approved rust-resistive coating has
33 been applied either before or after forming or fabrication.
MATERIAL
34 COURSE A continuous horizontal layer of masonry units.
An occupied space between building lines and lot lines other than a yard; free, open, and unobstructed
35 COURT by appendages from the ground upward.
building it serves, in such a manner that no person within the area need be closer than 15.00 meters
36 DISPERSAL AREA (SAFE) from the stand or building. Dispersal areas shall be based upon an area of not less than 0.28 square
meter per person.
as defined in this Code which contains on or two “dwelling units” or “guest rooms”, used, intended or
37 DWELLING designed to be built, used, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which are occupied for
living purposes.
DWELLING, INDIGENOUS native materials such as bamboo, nipa, logs, or lumber, the total cost of which does not exceed fifteen
38 thousand pesos.
FAMILY
A building used as a home or residence of three or more families living independently from one
39 DWELLING, MULTIPLE another, each occupying one or more rooms as a single housekeeping unit.
40 DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY A detached building designated for, or occupied exclusively by one family.
One or more habitable rooms which are occupied or which are intended or designated to be occupied
41 DWELLING UNIT by one family with facilities for living, sleeping, cooking, and eating.
A continuous and unobstructed means of egress to a public way, and shall include intervening doors,
doorways, corridors, exterior exit balconies, ramps, stairways, smokeproof enclosures, horizontal exits,
42 EXIT exit passageways, exit courts, and yards. An exit shall be deemed to be that point which opens directly
into a safe dispersal area or public way. All measurements are to be made to that point when
determining the permissible distance of travel.
43 EXIT COURTS A yard or court providing egress to a public way for one or more required exits.
A means of passage from one building into another building occupied by the same tenant through a
44 EXIT, HORIZONTAL separation wall having a minimum fire resistance of one-hour.
45 EXIT PASSAGEWAY An enclosed means of egress connecting a required exit or exit court with a public way.
Any masonry, forming an integral part of a wall used as a finished surface. (as contrasted to veneer, see
46 FACING definition)
47 FIREBRICK A refractory brick.
48 FIRECLAY A finely ground clay used as a plasticizer for masonry mortars; varies widely in physical properties.
A hearth and fire chamber or similarly prepared place in which a fire may be made and which is built
49 FIREPLACE in conjunction with a chimney.
Lumber or plywood impregnated with chemicals and when tested in accordance with accepted fire
FIRE RETARDANT TREATED standards for a period of 30 minutes shall have a flame-spread of not over 25 and show no evidence of
50 progressive combustion. The fire-retardant properties shall not be considered permanent when exposed
WOOD
to the weather.
The storey the floor of which is at or above the level of the sidewalk or adjoining ground, the remaining
51 FIRST STOREY storeys being numbered in regular succession upward.
The area included within the surrounding exterior walls of a building or portion thereof, exclusive of
52 FLOOR AREA vent shafts and courts. The floor area of a building or portion thereof, not provided with surrounding
exterior walls shall be the usable area under the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.
That portion of the foundation of a structure which spreads and transmits loads directly to the soil or
53 FOOTING the pile.
54 FOUNDATION All the portions of the building or structure below the footing, the earth upon which the structure rests.
A building or portion thereof in which a motor vehicle containing gasoline, distillate, or other volative,
55 GARAGE flammable liquid in its tank, is stored, repaired, or kept.
A garage where automobiles and other motor vehicle are housed, cared for, equipped, repaired or kept
56 GARAGE, COMMERCIAL for remuneration, hire, or sale.
 A structure of one or more tiers in height which is at least 50 percent open on two or more sides and is
used exclusively for the parking or storage of passenger motor vehicles having a capacity of not more
than nine persons per vehicle. Open parking garages are further classified as either ramp-access or
mechanical-access. Ramp-access, open parking garages are those employing a series of continuously
57 GARAGE, OPEN PARKING
rising floors permitting the movement of vehicles under their own power from and to the street level.
Mechanical access parking garages are those employing parking machines, lifts, elevators, or other
mechanical services for vehicles moving from and to street level and in which public occupancy is
prohibited above the street level
A building or a portion of a building in which only motor vehicles used by the tenants of the building
58 GARAGE PRIVATE or buildings on the premises are stored or kept.
59 GIRDER A horizontal structural piece which supports the end of the floor beams or joists or walls over opening.
The lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground level between the exterior wall of a
building and a point 1.50 meters distant from said wall, or the lowest point of elevation of the finished
GRADE (ADJACENT GROUND
60 surface of the ground between the exterior wall of a building and a property line if it is less than 1.50
ELEVATION)
meters distant from said wall. In case walls are parallel to and within 1.50 meters of a public sidewalk,
alley, or other public way, the grade shall be the elevation of the sidewalk, alley’ or public way.
The storey at or near the level of the grade, the other storeys, beginning with second, for the first next
61 GROUND FLOOR above, shall be designated by the successive floor numbers counting upward.
Any room or rooms used, or intended to be used by a guest for sleeping purposes. Every 9.30 square
62 GUEST ROOM meters of superficial floor area in a dormitory shall be considered to be a guest room.
Any room meeting the requirements of this Code for sleeping, living, cooking or dining purposes,
63 HABITABLE ROOM excluding such enclosed spaces as closets, pantries, bath or toilet room, service rooms, connecting
corridors, laundries, unfinished attics, storage, space cellars, utility rooms, and similar spaces.
64 HALL, COMMON A corridor or passageway used in common by all the occupants within a building.
A hall which includes the stair, stair landings, and those portions of the common halls through which it
65 HALL, STAIR is necessary to pass in going between the entrance floor and the room.
An area of land or water or a structural surface which is used, or intended for use in the landing and
66 HELIPORT take off of helicopters and any appurtenant areas which are used, or intended for use, for heliport
buildings and other heliport facilities.
The same as heliport except that no refueling, maintenance, repairs, or storage of helicopters is
67 HELISTOP permitted.
A building or a part thereof with rooms occupied or intended to be occupied for hire as temporary
68 HOTEL aboding place of individuals with a general kitchen and public dining room service, but no provision
for cooking in any individual suite or room.

An apartment house which may furnish dining room service and other services for the exclusive use of
69 HOTEL, APARTMENT
its tenants.
As applied to building construction material, as material which, in the form it is used, is either one of
the following: (a) Material having a structural base of incombustible material, with a surfacing material
not over 3.2 millimeters thick which has a flame-spread rating of 50 or less. (b) “Incombustible” does
70 INCOMBUSTIBLE not apply to surface finish materials. Material required to be incombustible for reduced clearance to
flues, heating appliances, or other materials shall refer to material conforming to the provisions of the
Code. No material shall be classed as incombustible which is subject to increase in combustibility or
flame-spread rating beyond the limits herein established, through the effects of age, moisture, or other
When referred to as structural material, means brick, stone, terracotta, concrete, iron, steel, sheet metal,
71 INCOMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL or tiles, used either singly or in combination.
A covering of not less than two thickness of roofing felt and a good coat of tar and gravel or tin,
72 INCOMBUSTIBLE ROOFING corrugated iron or other approved fire-resisting material with standing seam on lap joint.
INCOMBUSTIBLE STUD A partition plastered on both sides upon metal lath or wire cloth for the full height, and fire-topped
73 between the studs with incombustible material 20 centimeters above the floor and at the ceiling.
PARTITION
The line formed by the intersection of the outer surface of the enclosing wall of the building and the
74 LINE, BUILDING surface of the ground.
75 LINTEL The beam or girder placed over an opening in a wall, which supports the wall construction above.
The weight of the permanent portions of a building or structure; it includes the weight of the walls,
76 LOAD, DEAD permanent partitions, framing, floors, roofs, and all other permanent and stationary fixtures,
mechanism, and other construction entering into and becoming a part of a building or structure.
77 LOAD, LATERAL That load caused by winds, earthquakes, or other dynamic forces.
 The weight of the contents of a building or structure; it includes all loads except dead and lateral, and
78 LOAD, LIVE weight of temporary partitions, cases, counters, and similar equipment, and all loads imposed due to
the occupancy of the building or structure.
79 LOAD, OCCUPANT The total number of persons that may occupy a building or portion thereof at any one time.
Any building or portion thereof, containing not more than five guest rooms which are used by not more
80 LODGING HOUSE than five guests where rent is paid in money, goods, labor or otherwise.
A parcel of land on which a principal building and its accessories are placed or may be placed together
81 LOT with the required open spaces. A lot may or may not be the land designated as lot on the recorded plot.
A lot situated at the junction of two or more streets forming an angle of not more than one hundred
82 LOT, CORNER
thirty-five degrees (135°).
83 LOT, DEPTH OF The average horizontal distance between the front and the rear lot lines.
The front boundary line of a lot bordering on the street and in the case of a corner lot, it may be either
84 LOT, FRONT
frontage.
85 LOT, INSIDE A lot fronting on but one street or public alley and the remaining sides bounded by lot lines.
86 LOT LINE The line of demarcation between either public and private property.
87 LOT, OPEN A lot bounded on all sides by street lines.
88 LOT, WIDTH OF The average horizontal distance between the side lot lines
A form of construction composed of stone, brick, concrete, gypsum, hollow clay tile, concrete block or
89 MASONRY tile, or other similar building units or material or combination of these materials laid up unit and set in
mortar.
90 MASONRY SOLID Masonry of solid units built without hollow spaces
Brick, block, tile, stone, or other similar building unit or combination thereof, made to be bounded
91 MASONRY UNIT together by a cementation agent.
MEZZANINE OR MEZZANINE A partial intermediate floor in any storey or room of a building having an area not more than one-half
92 of the area of the room or space in which it is constructed.
FLOOR
A building which does not conform with the regulations of the district where it is situated as to height,
93 NON-CONFORMING BUILDING yard requirement, lot area, and percentage of occupancy.
The use of a building or land or any portion of such building or land which does not conform with the
94 NON-CONFORMING USE use and regulation of the zone where it is situated.
The purpose for which a building is used or intended to be used. The term shall also include the
95 OCCUPANCY building or room housing such use. Change of occupancy is not intended to include change of tenants
or proprietors.
Any person, company, or corporation owning the property or properties under consideration or the
96 OWNER
receiver or trustee thereof.
A bar which extends across at least one-half the width of each door leaf, which will open the door if
97 PANIC HARDWARE subjected to pressure.
98 PARTITION An interior subdividing wall.
An isolated mass of masonry forming support for arches, columns, girders, lintels, trusses, and similar
99 PIER structural parts.
A portion of the wall which projects on one or both sides and acts as a vertical beam, a column, or
100 PILASTER both.
A mixture of portland cement, or portland cement and lime, and aggregate and other approved material
101 PLASTER, PORTLAND, CEMENT as specified in this Code.
102 PLASTICS, APPROVED Plastic materials which have a flame spread rating of 225 or less.

A partially enclosed portion of an assembly room the ceiling of which is not more than 1.50 meters
103 PLATFORM, ENCLOSED above the proscenium opening which is designed or used for the presentation of plays, demonstrations,
or other entertainment wherein scenery, drops, decorations, of the effects may be installed or used.
A parcel of land unobstructed from the ground to the sky, more than 3.00 meters in width, appropriated
104 PUBLIC WAY to the free passage of the general public.
The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance.
105 REPAIR The word “repair” shall not apply to any change of construction.
A vertical opening through a building for elevators, dumbwaiters, mechanical equipment, or similar
106 SHAFT purposes.
107 SHOW WINDOW A store window in which goods are displayed.
 Blighted Area; Eyesore; An area where the values of real estate tend to deteriorate because of the
108 SLUM dilapidated, obsolescent, and insanitary condition of the building within the area. Any eyesore is a
building or area .which is markedly unpleasant to look at.
109 SOCALO, MASONRY The wall between the bottom of the window sill and the ground.
110 SOFFIT The underside of a beam, lintel or reveal.
Any structure designed and intended for the enclosure, shelter, or protection of any horse, carabao, or
111 STABLE other cattle.
112 STABLE, COMMERCIAL A stable wherein the animals kept are for business, racing or breeding purposes.
A partially enclosed portion of an assembly building which is designed or used for the presentation of
plays, demonstrations, or other entertainment wherein the scenery, drops or other effects may be
113 STAGE installed or used, and where the distance between the top of the proscenium opening and the ceiling
above the stage is more than 1.50 meters.
114 STAIRWAY Two or more risers shall constitute a stairway.
115 STAIRWAY, PRIVATE A stairway serving one tenant only.

That portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the
floor next above, except that the topmost storey shall be that portion of a building included between the
116 STOREY upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished floor level directly
above a basement, cellar or unused underfloor spaces more than 3.60 meters above grade as defined
herein at any point, such basement, cellar or unused underfloor space shall be considered as a storey.
The perpendicular distance from top to top on two successive floors, floor beams, or joints. The clear
height of a storey or a room is the distance from the floor to the ceiling. The clear height of balconies is
117 STOREY, HEIGHT OF measured from the highest point of the sidewalk grade to the underside of the balcony floor joists. If
these joists are sealed, this clear height is measured to the underside of the ceiling.
118 STREET Any thoroughfare or public space which has been dedicated or deeded to the public for public use.
That which is built or constructed, an ediface or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially
119 STRUCTURE built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.
The framing system including the columns and the girders, beams, trusses, and spandrels having direct
connections to the columns and all other members which are essential to the stability of the building as
120 STRUCTURAL FRAME a whole. The members of floor or roof which have no connection to the columns shall be considered
secondary and not a part of the structural frame.
The vertical supports, such as posts or stanchions, as used in indigenous or traditional type of
121 SUPORTALES construction. These may be freestanding as stilts or integrated into the wall structure. In the case of
former, pie de gallos (knee braces) or crosettas (cross bracings) are sometimes used.
122 SURFACE, EXTERIOR Weather-exposed surface.
123 SURFACE, INTERIOR Surfaces other than weather-exposed surfaces.
All surfaces of walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, soffits, and similar surfaces exposed to the weather except
the following: (a) Ceiling and roof soffits enclosed by walls, or by beams extend a minimum of 300
millimeters below such ceiling or roof soofits; (b) Walls or portions of walls within an unenclosed roof
124 SURFACE, WEATHER-EXPOSED area, when located a horizontal distance from an exterior opening equal to twice the height of the
opening; and (c) Ceiling and roof soffits beyond a horizontal distance of 3.00 meters from the outer
edge of the ceiling or roof soffits.
VALUE OR VALUATION OF A
125 BUILDING The estimated cost to replace the building in kind, based on current replacement costs.
Any surface or underground construction covered on top, or any fire-proof construction intended for
126 VAULT the storage of valuables.
Veneer secured and supported by approved mechanical fasteners attached to an approved backing
127 VENEER ADHERED supported through adhesion to an approved bonding material applied over an approved backing.
128 VENEER, EXTERIOR Veneer applied to weather-exposed surfaces.
129 VENEER, INTERIOR Veneer applied to surfaces other than weather-exposed surfaces.
130 WALL, BEARING A wall which supports any load other than its own weight.
131 WALL, CROSS A term which may be used synonymously with a partition.
The enclosing wall of an iron or steel framework or the nonbearing portion of an enclosing wall
132 WALL, CURTAIN between piers.
133 WALL, DEAD A wall without openings.
134 WALL, EXTERIOR boundaries or courts of a building.
A wall in which the facing and backing are so bounded together that they act as a composite element,
135 WALL, FACED and exert a common action under load
 Any wall which subdivides a building so as to resist the spread of fire, by starting at the foundation and
136 WALL, FIRE extending continuously through all storeys to, or above the roof. Extension above the roof is 1.00
meter.
137 WALL, FOUNDATION That portion of an enclosing wall below the first tier of floor-joists.
The perpendicular distance measured from its base line either at the grade or at the top of the girder to
138 WALL, HEIGHT OF the top of the coping thereof. Foundation and retaining walls are measured from the grade downward to
the base of the footing.
139 WALL, NONBEARING A wall which supports no load other than its own weight.
140 WALL, PARAPET That part of any wall entirely above the roof line.
141 WALL, PARTY A wall separating two or more buildings, and used in common by the said buildings.
Any wall used to resist the lateral displacement of any material; a subsurface wall built to resist the
142 WALL, RETAINING lateral pressure of internal loads.
143 WALL, THICKNESS OF The minimum thickness measured on the bed.
An opening through a wall of a building to the outside air for the purpose of admitting natural light and
144 WINDOW air.
A projecting window similar to a bay window, but carried on bracket or corbels. The term “bay
145 WINDOW, ORIEL window” may also be applied to an oriel window projecting over the street line.
Horizontal strands of taunted wire attached to surfaces of vertical wood supports which, when covered
146 WIRE BACKING with building paper, provide a backing for portland cement plaster.
147 YARD OR PATIO The vacant space left in a lot between the building and the property line.
148 YARD, REAR The yard lying between the side lot lines and the nearest lot line and the nearest building line.

149 YARD, SIDE The yard lying between the side line and the nearest building and between the front and the rear yards.