ILOILO City – Previously attached to the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), the Office of Building Official (OBO) is now a separate and distinct office.
Mayor Jerry Treñas’ Executive Order No. 029 created an ad hoc OBO independent of the CEO.
Under Section 477 of Republic Act 7160, the CEO concurrently serves as City Building Official. However, according to Treñas, such arrangement has resulted to operational difficulties in the CEO.
“There is an urgent necessity to immediately address the problem to prevent further damage and prejudice, thereby restoring efficient and effective public service vis-à-vis the implementation of the National Building Code, Presidential Decree 1096, and ultimately maintain the people’s confidence in the city government,” Treñas’ EO emphasized.
He cited other highly urbanized cities like Manila, Davao, Parañaque, Caloocan, and Quezon which have OBOs functioning independently from their CEOs.
The creation of an ad hoc OBO via EO was a viable solution to the problem, said Treñas, noting that creating offices or departments is primarily lodged with the Sangguniang Panlungsod (via an ordinance) under Section 454 of the Local Government Code.
In his EO, Treñas designated the acting City Building Official as head of the ad hoc OBO. As among his primary duties and functions are to enforce the National Building Code of the Philippines, process and issue building permits, and inspect ongoing and completed structures as a requirement in the processing and issuances of occupancy and other final building permits.
Pending the passage of a city council ordinance providing for the official organizational set-up and creation of the OBO, the Assistant City Engineer shall act as Acting Building Official with the manpower complement to be designated by the city mayor.
As to the funding, the EO provides that the City Budget Office shall transfer from the CEO the balance of the appropriations for the personnel, supplies and other necessary operating expenses allocated for the OBO under the CEO to the newly created ad hoc OBO.
Other necessary operating expenses of the aAd hoc office shall be sourced from the Office of the City Mayor pending proper appropriation through an ordinance./PN
