Digitalization and Innovation in Building Permit Systems in the Philippines: Enhancing Efficiency, Compliance, and Safety

Abstract

The processing of building permits in the Philippine construction industry continues to encounter problems stemming from the processing of building permits such as managerial system overlaps, the absence of technology, and the use of obsolete methods. These obstacles result in delays in meeting timelines, unsafe construction, and bypassing regulations. This study aims to examine the changes in the construction digitalization at the building permit level in the Philippines, targeting systems such as the eBPLS and PBPLS sponsored by the DICT. This research investigates the effectiveness of ICT on compliance with the national building code and safety construction measures in progressive cities like Quezon City and Davao City. The key results indicate improved performance in processing time and transparency but faced challenges regarding lack of ICT sufficiency, differing implementation readiness among LGUs, and change aversion. This research recommends the creation of a centralized national permit portal together with the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and training programs for total education.