BACOLOD City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has ordered the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to strictly implement that the architectural plans and documents be prepared, signed and sealed by a licensed and registered architect only.
Secretary to the Mayor, lawyer Marty Go, said Wednesday, February 19, 2025, that this has reference with the National Building Code Development Office (NBCDO) Memorandum Circular 01, Series of 2025 in relation to the Supreme Court Resolution dated October 30, 2024 in the motion for reconsideration filed by the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) Inc. and Leo Cleto Gamolo in G.R No. 200015 and 205846, respectively titled,” Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) versus PICE and Gamolo and United Architects of the Philippines-versus-PICE and Gamolo, upholding the validity and constitutionality of Section 302 paragraphs (3) and (4) of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Presidential Decree 1096 or the National Building Code of the Philippines.
He said the decision was released in 2024, but the DPWH just now released the memorandum to strictly implement the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision that only licensed architects can prepare, sign and seal the architectural plans and documents at the Bacolod City Government Center for processing.
Go noted that before the SC’s decision, the licensed architects and engineers are allowed to sign the architectural plans based on the National Building Code of the Philippines.
Go also clarified that for those who already processed their documents and were signed by the licensed engineers will be considered by the city.
“We will consider their documents because they already processed their documents before the issuance of SC’s decision,” Go said.
He said the memorandum was already received by Engineer Amy Tentia, officer-in-charge of OBO, on February 13, 2025. (MAP)