QuestionsQuestions (DOH IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF CHAPTER III "FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS" OF THE CODE ON SANITATION OF THE PHILIPPINES)
It applies to all food establishments and facilities, including those located in vessels, food containers and vehicles, and food sold in the streets.
An establishment where food or drinks are manufactured, processed, stored, sold or served, including those that are located in vessels.
They must first secure a Sanitary Permit from the city or municipality health office with jurisdiction.
It is filed with the city or municipality health office having jurisdiction over the establishment. For inter-island and coastline vessels, it is filed in the health office of the vessel’s port of origin or head port.
It is valid for one (1) year ending on the last day of December each year, and must be renewed yearly. For new establishments, it also expires at the end of December of the current year.
The new occupant must apply to the city or municipal health office to have the change noted in the records and permit certificate and pay the corresponding fee.
No person shall be employed without a health certificate issued by the city/municipal health officer after required physical/medical examinations and immunizations. The certificate must be renewed at least every year (or as required by local ordinance), is non-transferable, and must be clipped on the upper left front portion of the garment while working.
They must wear clean working garments and restrain hair; wash hands/arms/fingernails before working and repeat during work hours and after smoking, toilet use, or coughing/sneezing into hands (or as necessary).
No person shall be allowed to work in food handling/preparation while afflicted with a communicable disease or carrier of such disease, including conditions such as boils/infected wounds, colds/respiratory infection, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal upsets. The manager/person-in-charge must notify the health officer or company physician when an employee has a notifiable disease.
Readily perishable foods must be kept at 7°C (45°F) or below, or 60°C (140°F) or above during transport.
All food while displayed, stored, prepared, served or sold must be protected from contamination such as dust, flies, rodents and other vermin.
Foods must come from sources approved by the local health authority: meats from duly licensed and inspected slaughterhouses; fish/seafoods not from polluted sources (sewage, chemicals, radioactive waste, toxic substances); vegetables/fruits from safe soils not contaminated by night soil/sewage/toxic chemicals; no items procured from areas affected by radioactivity; milk/milk products from approved sources meeting regulatory standards.
Food stalls: adequate ventilating hood, handwashing and dishwashing facilities, and maintaining all for sale and in storage hot (≥60°C) or cold (≤7°C), plus other regular restaurant requirements. Food carts: located preferably inside fastfood area; must use only approved food-grade single-service/disposable items; must have refuse receptacles; food must be protected in showcase/bread warmers/steam table/cabinets maintaining ≤7°C for cold or ≥60°C for warm; strictly prohibited to let food stand at room temperature; heating only when ordered and before serving is not a substitute.
A three-compartment sink is required and used for manual washing and sanitizing of equipment and utensils; at least a two-compartment sink is provided and used for washing kitchenware/equipment not requiring sanitizing and for washing vegetables.
After cleaning: (1) immersion at least 30 seconds in clean hot water ≥77°C (170°F); (2) immersion at least 1 minute in lukewarm water with 50–100 ppm chlorine; (3) steam cabinet ≥77°C for at least 15 minutes or ≥93°C for at least 5 minutes; (4) hot air cabinet ≥82°C for at least 20 minutes; (5) iodine solution 12.5 ppm for 1 minute; or (6) any other method approved by the local health authority.
The responsible health officer must cause inspections at least every six (6) months, and additional inspections as needed. Minimum frequency by class: Class A at least once every 3 months; Class B at least once every 2 months; Class C at least once a month; Markets at least once a week; Other Food Establishments at least once every six months.
Sanitary inspections must be conducted based on a Mission Order (EHS Form No. 112); inspections without a Mission Order are prohibited. Establishments must report unauthorized inspections executed to the health officer or chief of sanitation division/section/unit.
There are 20 items; non-complying items receive 5 demerits each, and the percentage rating is computed as 100 minus (demerits × 5). The equivalent sanitation standard color code is: 90–100% Excellent (luminous green), 70–89% Very Satisfactory (luminous yellow), 50–69% Satisfactory (red-orange). If below 50%, the establishment is recommended for suspension of operation until compliance.