ELECTRICAL CODE OF THE

PHILIPPINES
PURPOSE

• Practical Safeguarding
• The primary purpose of the Philippines Electrical Code is to minimize the risk of electricity
as a source of electric shock and as a potential ignition source of fires and explosions;
and to minimize the propagation of fire and explosions due to electrical installations.
• Adequacy
• This code contains provisions that are considered minimum requirements necessary for
safety. Compliance therewith and proper maintenance will result in an installation that is
essentially free from hazard but not necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for
good service or future expansion of electrical use.
• FPN No. 1: Hazards often occur because of overloading of wiring systems by methods or usage
not in conformity with this Code. This occurs because initial wiring did not provide for increases in
the use of electricity. An initial adequate installation and reasonable provisions for system
changes will provide for future increases in the use of electricity.
• FPN No 2: It is highly recommended that a licensed electrical practitioner be consulted for any
electrical requirements, including changes. Failure to do so may result in fire, serious injury, or
death.
• FPN No. 3: Fire hazard, electrocution, serious injury or even death may also occur with lack or
improper maintenance of wiring system. Wiring system is recommended to be inspected and
tested by a licensed electrical practitioner at least once a year for wiring system of more than
three (3) years in installation.
• Intention
• This code is intended for the exclusive use of licensed electrical practitioners (PEE, REE,
and RME). This Code is not intended as a design specification nor an instruction manual
for a non-licensed electrical practitioner, unless under the supervision of a licensed
electrical practitioner.
• The Philippine Electrical Code is intended for use by
1. Qualified engineers in the design, installation and/or maintenance of electrical equipment;
2. Inspection authorities having legal jurisdiction over electrical installations;
3. Insurance inspectors;
4. Electrical practitioners; and
5. Instructors of electrical students.
• Relation to Other International Standards
• The requirements in this Code address the fundamental principles of protection for safety
contained in Section 131 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard 60364-1,
Electrical Installations of Buildings.
• The Philippine Electrical Code (PEC) is a modified version of the National Electrical Code. The
modifications were made to suit the local Philippine environment and conversion into the SI
system. This section of the Philippine Electrical Code makes it clear that the Philippine Electrical
Code is compatible with international safety standards and address the fact installations
meeting the requirements of the Philippine Electrical Code are also in compliance with the
fundamental principles outlined in NEC.
IEC 60364-1, Section 1
131 Protection for safety
131.1 General
• The requirements stated in 131.2 to 131.7 are intended to provide for the safety of persons,
livestock and property against dangers and damage which may arise in the reasonable use
of electrical installations. The requirements to provide for the safety of livestock are
applicable in locations intended for them. In electrical installations, the following hazards may
arise:
• Shock Currents
• Excessive temperatures likely to cause burns, fires and other injurious effects
• Ignition of a potentially explosive atmosphere
• Undervoltages, overvoltages and electromagnetic influences likely to cause or result in injury or
damage
• power supply interruptions and/or interruption of safety services
• arcing, likely to cause blinding effects, excessive pressure, and/or toxic gases
• mechanical movement of electrically activated equipment
• 131.2 Protection against electric shock
• Direct Contact - For low-voltage installations, systems and equipment, basic protection generally
corresponds to protection against direct contact. Protection shall be provided against dangers that
may arise from contact with live parts of the installation by persons or livestock. This protection can
be achieved by one of the following methods: Preventing a current from passing through the body
of any person or any livestock; Limiting the current which can pass through a body to a non-
hazardous value.
• Indirect Contact - For low-voltage installations, systems and equipment, fault protection generally
corresponds to protection against indirect contact, mainly with regard to failure of basic insulation.
Protection shall be provided against dangers that may arise from contact with exposed conductive-
parts of the installation by persons or livestock. time period.
• 131.3 Protection against thermal effects
• The electrical installation shall be so arranged to minimize the risk of damage or ignition of flammable
materials due to high temperature or electric arc. In addition, during normal operation of the electrical
equipment, there shall be no risk of persons or livestock suffering burns.

• 131.4 Protection against overcurrent

• Persons and livestock shall be protected against injury and property shall be protected against damage due to
excessive temperatures or electromechanical stresses caused by any overcurrents likely to arise in conductors.
Protection can be achieved by limiting the overcurrent to a safe value or duration.

• 131.5 Protection against fault currents

• Conductors, other than live conductors, and any other parts intended to carry a fault current shall be capable
of carrying that current without attaining an excessive temperature. Electrical equipment, including conductors
shall be provided with mechanical protection against electromechanical stresses of fault currents as necessary to
prevent injury or damage to persons, livestock or property. Live conductors shall be protected against
overcurrents arising from faults by the methods in 131.4.
• 131.6 Protection against voltage disturbances and measures against electromagnetic
influences
• Persons and livestock shall be protected against injury and property shall be protected against any
harmful effects as a consequence of a fault between live parts of circuits supplied at different
voltages. Persons and livestock shall be protected against injury and property shall be protected
against damage as a consequence of overvoltages such as those originating from atmospheric
events or from switching.

• 131.7 Protection against power supply interruption

• Where danger or damage is expected to arise due to an interruption of supply, suitable provisions
shall be made in the installation or installed equipment.
SCOPE
• Covered
• This Code covers the installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and
communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and optical fiber cables and raceways
installed within or on, to or from:
• Public and private buildings, including but not limited to residential, commercial, industrial, institutional,
cultural, agricultural, agro-industrial, planned unit development and all other buildings/premises that may
require practical safeguarding of persons and property from the hazards arising from the use of
electricity, Electric generating plants, Industrial plants, Transformer stations, Airfields, Railways switchyards,
Yards, carnival, parks, parking and other lots, Quarries and mines, Watercraft, Dockyards, Trailers,
Mobile homes and recreational vehicles, Offshore facilities, Permanent and temporary substations, etc.
• Not covered
• Installations in railway rolling stock, aircraft, or automotive vehicles
• Installations of railways for generation, transformation, transmission, or distribution of
power used exclusively for operation of rolling stock
AUTHORITY

• This Code has been approved and adopted by the Board of Electrical
Engineering, Professional Regulation Commission
• The local Building Officials are responsible in enforcing the provisions of the Philippine
Electrical Code as indicated in RA 7920, Sec 39 and PD 1096, Sections 205 and 1301.
The role of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) as per provisions of the Republic Act No.
9514, Fire Code regarding electrical systems is to enforce the provisions of the Fire Code
particularly Section 7.A.1 to ensure that there are no violations as per Section 8.B. It has
no legal authority on the design of electrical system.
• By virtue of authority vested in the Board under RA 7920, it hereby direct strict
adherence to the provisions of this Code.
• The Philippine Electrical Code is a statutory law of the Philippines that requires compliance. It is the legal
obligation of the Electrical Engineers or Electrical Practitioners in charge of the design and/or installation
of the electrical system to ensure that provisions of the Philippine Electrical Code are fully complied in
any electrical installation. This includes educating the property owners of these provisions and what will
be the consequences if these provisions are violated.

• Where deviations from these provisions are necessary, such deviations shall not be
made, except with written permission from this government bodies exercising legal
jurisdiction applicable only to the particular job for which such permission was
granted.
• Any deviations or exceptions on the provisions of the Philippine Electrical Code shall be provided by
government authorities having legal jurisdiction over the electrical installation. The exception shall only be used
only for the electrical installation to which it was intended. Use of such exceptions in other electrical installations
shall be unlawful.
ENFORCEMENT
• This Code is intended for mandatory application by government bodies exercising legal jurisdiction over
electrical installations.
• These government bodies, only through a licensed electrical practitioner, shall have the responsibility of
implementing the provisions of this Code in deciding on the approval of equipment and materials and
for granting the special permission contemplated in this Code, where it is assured that equivalent
objectives can be achieved by establishing and maintaining effective safety.

• The authority having jurisdiction may waive specific requirements in this Code or permit alternate
methods where it is assured that equivalent objectives can be achieved by establishing and maintaining
effective safety.
• This Code may require new products, constructions, or materials that may not yet be available at the
time this Code is adopted. In such event, the authority having jurisdiction may permit the use of the
products, constructions, or materials that comply with the most recent previous edition of this Code
adopted by the jurisdiction.
MANDATORY RULES, PERMISSIVE RULES, AND
EXPLANATORY MATERIAL.
• Mandatory Rules
• Mandatory rules of this Code are those that identify actions that are specifically required or
prohibited and are characterized by the use of the terms shall or shall not.
• Permissive Rules
• Permissive rules of this Code are those that identify actions that are allowed but not required, are
normally used to describe options or alternative methods, and are characterized by the use of the
terms shall be permitted or shall not be required.
• Explanatory Material
• Explanatory material, such as references to other standards, references to related sections of this
Code, or information related to a Code rule, is included in this Code in the form of fine print notes
(FPN). Fine print notes are informational only and are not enforceable as requirements of this
Code.
WIRING PLANNING

• Future Expansion and Convenience

• Plans and specifications that provide ample space in raceways, spare raceways, and additional
spaces allow for future increases in electric power and communication circuits. Distribution centers
located in readily accessible locations provide convenience and safety of operation.

• Number of Circuits in Enclosures

• It is elsewhere provided in this Code that the number of wires and circuits confined in a single
enclosure be varyingly restricted. Limiting the number of circuits in a single enclosure will minimizes
the effects from a short circuit or ground fault in one circuit.