MANILA -- Leading proponents of low energy-based infrastructures called on the government to revisit building safety regulations as they batted for the inclusion of climate change and sustainability issues in the drafting of a new measure.
Christopher De La Cruz, chairman of the Philippine Green Building Council, said it is high time to make some amendments to the decades-old Building Code, which was deemed archaic due to lack of environmental and sustainability considerations, among others.
In other countries including the United States, building regulations are reviewed periodically to accommodate pressing changes.
“We want legislative support for this to push through. Basically the amendments would look into how our building safety regulations would be improved as well as finding ways in giving tax breaks to those who comply with the standards,” he told reporters.
Former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. earlier said the government can engage architects on this undertaking by giving them tax rebates and even bonuses wherever possible. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)