BAGUIO CITY – The city government is looking at the possibility of allotting funds to assist residents in completing the requirements for a building permit, which ensures the safety of structures.
“The city government is taking steps to help residents through the involvement of the barangays by designating their own engineers and other professionals to lessen the cost of the building plan required in applying for a building permit,” Vittorio Jerico Cawis, city administrator, said in an interview Thursday.
Building plans and design cost about PHP20,000 to PHP40,000.
He said that the city government is also eyeing to step in to help fund surveys and engage with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to resolve titling issues and expedite the same.
Another requirement before a building permit can be issued is a certificate of title over the property where the structure is intended to be erected.
“Most of the land in the city [need] a tax declaration, reason owners cannot obtain a building permit,” he said.
He added that there are also structures built before 2004 when the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Building Code were approved.
The city government issued a memorandum in 2021 condoning penalties for structure owners who constructed buildings without a permit. This measure aimed to encourage owners to apply for the necessary building permits, allowing the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) to properly assess the safety and structural integrity of these buildings.
CBAO assistant chief Engr. Stephen Capuyan explained that before a permit is issued, residential and commercial buildings undergo a thorough evaluation that includes checking the structural and architectural integrity of the building, electrical systems, and sanitary facilities.
Citing their latest data, he said out of the 83,335 total structures documented in 105 of the 128 barangays, 61,645 or 74 percent do not have building permits.
Only 21,690 structures, equivalent to 26 percent, were found to have secured the required permits. **Liza Agoot
