INTRODUCTION On

FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY ASSESSMENT REPORT

(FALAR)

ENGR. MARIANO V JOSEPH JR., PEE

Chief, Fire Safety Enforcement Division
Bureau of Fire Protection, National Headquarters

A Designer should always remember that

SAFETY OF LIFE
IS THE ULTIMATE
PRINCIPLE OF
FIRE SAFETY IN A
BUILDING

BFP VISION
A MODERN FIRE
PROTECTION AGENCY WORKING
TOWARDS A SAFE
AND PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY

BFP MISSION
To prevent and suppress destructive fires;
Investigate its causes;
Provide emergency medical and rescue
services; and
Enforce other fire related laws with active
Involvement of the community.

The IRR of RA 9514 covers the following:

A. All persons;
B. All private or public buildings, facilities or
structures and their premises erected or
constructed before and after the effectivity hereof;
C. Design and installation of mechanical, electronics
and electrical systems relative to fire protection;
D. Manufacturing, storage, handling and/or use, and
transportation of explosives and/or combustible,
flammable liquids and gases, toxic and other
hazardous materials and operations, and their
wastes;

The IRR of RA 9514 covers the following:

E. Fire safety planning, design, construction, repair,
maintenance, rehabilitation and demolition;
F.

Fire protective and warning equipment or

systems;

G. All land transportation vehicles and equipment,

ships or vessels docked at piers or wharves or
anchored in seaports; and

H. Petroleum industry installations.

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF FALAR

24 April 2003

Meeting of BFP, RADIAN and USPS to discuss

FALAR

03 June 2003

Meeting between DILG-BFP and RADIAN

07 July 2003

Bureau (BFP) Order No. 2003-1149 Creating the

committee on FALAR

26 March 2004

SOPI Endorsement on FALAR

17 March 2005

Sectoral Consultation on the Implementation of

FALAR

15 December 2005 -

DILG Memo Circular 2005-143

18 November 2009 -

Effectivity of IRRs RA 9514

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF FALAR

24 April 2003

Meeting of BFP, RADIAN and USPS to discuss

FALAR

03 June 2003

Meeting between DILG-BFP and RADIAN

07 July 2003

Bureau (BFP) Order No. 2003-1149 Creating the

committee on FALAR

26 March 2004

SOPI Endorsement on FALAR

17 March 2005

Sectoral Consultation on the Implementation of

FALAR

15 December 2005 -

DILG Memo Circular 2005-143

18 November 2009 -

Effectivity of IRRs RA 9514

BACKGROUND
* The National Building Code (NBC, PD 1096)
was enacted on February 19, 1977
* The Fire Code of the Philippines (FCP, PD 1185)
was enacted on August 26,1977
*

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) August 1,

1978 between;
- Ministry of National Defense (now Department of the
Interior and Local Government)
- Ministry of Public Works/Transportation and
Communications (now Department of Public Works and
Highway)

BACKGROUND
In the MOA the life of the building is divided
into (3) phases:
Pre-Construction Phase
Construction Phase
Post Construction Phase

Benefits of the Fire and Life Safety Assessment

Report (FALAR)

Two (2) days plan review

Effective Code Compliance

Highly reliable
Better appreciation and understanding
More efficient regular annual inspection

What is a Fire and Life Safety

Assessment Report (FALAR) ?
*A written report prepared and certified by the Architect and his Fire Safety
Practitioner.

*The report shall have three (3) parts:

Part 1- Pre-Construction Phase

Part 2- Construction Phase
Part 3- Post Construction Phase

*FALAR

Part 1 is a compilation of plans/specifications and design

approach, criteria and calculations.

*FALAR

Part 2 is a compilation of all approved submittals, test and

acceptance forms of all fire protection and life safety features.

*FALAR

Part
3 is a compilation of the maintenance and testing records
kept by the buildings engineering and maintenance departments.

Applicability
A. All private and public buildings, facilities and structures to be
constructed or being constructed upon effectivity of this IRR shall be
required to submit FALAR 1 and 2 among other documents to the
City /Municipal Fire Marshal having jurisdiction as one of the
requirements for securing FSEC or FSIC for the issuance of Building
Permit and Occupancy Permit. (SECTION 9.0.3.1A. IRRs RA 9514)
B. All existing private and public buildings, facilities or structures with
occupancy of at least (50) persons shall be required to submit
FALAR 3 annually to the City/Municipal Fire Marshal having
jurisdiction when securing FSIC. (SECTION 9.0.3.1B. IRRs RA 9514)

When will the submission of FALAR be required ?

Pre-Construction Phase
3 sets FALAR Part 1
Architect and Fire Safety Practitioner
Fire Safety Evaluation Clearance (FSEC)

Building Permit

When will the submission of FALAR be required ?

Construction Phase
3 sets FALAR Part 2
Construction Manager and Contractor
Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC)

Occupancy Permit

When will the submission of FALAR be required ?

Post Construction Phase

3 sets FALAR Part 3
Building Administrator
Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC)

Business Permit

Why is submission of FALAR important?

BFP Personnel do not have access to vital fire safety
documents which includes but are not limited to the basis of
design, design approach, calculations, as built plans,
records of testing, commissioning and maintenance.
BFP Personnel involved in review plans and specifications
and fire safety inspection have not cope up with the growth
of fire protection and life safety technology.
Major violations of the fire safety provisions are difficult to
discover by the BFP Personnel because of incomplete
submission of vital fire protection and life safety documents
by the designers, construction managers and building
administrator.

Why is submission of FALAR important?

Design of the various components of the fire and life safety

system involves different professions and no single
individual is in charge of the total fire and life safety
provisions for buildings.
There is shortage of BFP personnel tasked to do review of
plans and specifications and fire inspection of all high rise
buildings, commercial complexes and industrial facilities.