Scope and definitions—Markets
- These market rules apply to all markets, including food terminals, satellite markets/talipapa (with less than 150 stalls), wet markets, dry markets, supermarkets, and other similar establishments.
- Coverage extends to establishments operated by government agencies or instrumentalities, including government owned or controlled corporations, and also private organizations or firms, and individuals or entities.
- The rules define key terms, including:
- “Market” to include public market, private market, food terminal, satellite market/talipapa, supermarket, wet market, and dry market.
- “Food” as any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance, beverage, or ingredient for human consumption.
- “Food handler” as any person who handles, stores, cooks, prepares, or serves food or drinks.
- “Readily perishable food” and “Non-perishable food” based on spoilage risk and processing/moisture characteristics.
- “Vermin” and “Vermin abatement program” as preventive/control activities and the pests that may vector disease.
Market construction standards
- A market site must be located at least 50 meters from schools, religious institutions, public offices, funeral establishments, and other public gathering places, and at least 25 meters from abattoirs and other possible sources of contamination.
- A market must be easily accessible to the public and conveyances/vehicles, and must comply with local zoning laws and ordinances.
- A market must not be located in areas subject to flooding, and water and power services must be available within the area.
- Market buildings and premises must meet construction and maintenance standards requiring:
- Durable, corrosion-resistant materials.
- Minimum sizes: stall = 3.10 sq. meters, and aisle = 1.20 meters minimum width.
- Impervious, cleanable floors with rounded floor-wall angles of at least 7.62 centimeters (3 inches).
- Walls and partitions of impervious non-toxic materials to at least 1.22 meters (4 feet), with light color finish and partitions not extending to the ceiling.
- Proper roofing with permanent protection from heat, rain, and hazards.
- Illumination standards for markets require:
- 20 foot-candles (215.2 lux) in areas where readily perishable foods are displayed and in aisles/passageways/stairways.
- 10 foot-candles (107.6 lux) in other areas.
- No colored lights or materials that alter food color.
- Fixtures must be safe and protected against breakage.
- Ventilation standards require:
- Relative humidity maintained at 60%.
- Temperature maintained at 26.7°C (80°F) with effective ventilation and roof ventilators.
- Space and fire/securement requirements include:
- Minimum open space of 0.74 sq. meter (8 sq. feet) per customer.
- Fire exits in accordance with the Fire Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 1185) and its implementing rules.
- Perimeter fencing at least 2 meters high with gates with locks; perimeter stalls may serve as fence only if enclosed and locked when not in use.
- Sectioning/zoning requires dividing the market by type of merchandise and arranging stalls so no alleys are obstructed, and so all areas can be easily and thoroughly cleaned.
- Stall table elevation rules require:
- Tables for food, fish, shellfish, meat, and entrails elevated at least 0.75 m (2.5 ft).
- Tables for other foodstuffs (vegetables, fruits, grains, groceries, etc.) elevated at least 0.46 m (1.5 ft).
Market sanitary facilities and utilities
- Potable water is required, with water quality compliant with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.
- Carinderia, fish, meat, and entrails stalls must have piped water and a maintained pressure of 1.406 kilogram per square centimeter (20 pounds per square inch).
- Water supply must provide 40 liters/capita/day, maintained based on number of vendors and average customers per day.
- The use of water not obtained from a source certified safe by the Secretary of Health or a duly authorized representative is prohibited for drinking, food preparation, or washing utensils (plates, glasses, cups, forks, and similar objects).
- Ice must come from ice plants with a sanitary permit or be made from potable water, and must be protected from contamination through proper handling, transport, storage, and dispensing; ice-making equipment must be properly installed and maintained.
- Sewage and drainage require:
- Sewage disposal compliant with the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines (P.D. 856) provisions on Sewage Collection and Disposal, Excreta Disposal and Drainage and its implementing rules.
- Sufficient drainage with at least one floor drain per 46.5 sq. meters (500 sq. feet), with slope not less than 2.05 centimeters per meter.
- Toilet/urinal sewer lines must not be connected to the market drainage line.
- Drain pipe diameter not less than 15 centimeters (6 inches).
- Floor drains with deep seal traps (P-trap or U-trap) properly installed.
- Grease trap for sewage from the meat and carinderia sections.
- Drainage installed according to the National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.
- Toilet and hand-washing facilities require:
- Separate toilet compartments for men and women, following Table 1 minimum fixture counts for personnel and stallholders and Table 2 minimum fixture counts for consumers.
- One toilet each for differently-abled female and male customers.
- Minimum toilet space requirements using Table 3: Water Closet = 1.5 sq. m, Urinal = 1.11 sq. m, Lavatory = 1.11 sq. m.
- Toilet plan approval by the local health officer as recommended by a sanitary engineer in line with DOH standards.
- Odor absorbent materials/equipment in each toilet.
- Access ramps for differently-abled persons; toilets must not open directly to food section areas.
- Hand-washing facilities with water, soap, and clean towels or disposable toilet papers/napkins at all times, and located to serve the public.
- Hand-washing and plumbing installations in accordance with the National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.
- Toilets and hand-washing facilities kept sanitary at all times.
- Solid waste management requires:
- Proper solid waste management under the Refuse Disposal framework of P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
- Refuse bins or refuse depository—separating biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes—placed strategically for temporary storage before collection.
- A shredding space allocated in the market premises.
- Each stall must have at least two (2) covered receptacles for stall-level waste: green plastic bag for biodegradable wastes and black plastic bag for non-biodegradable wastes.
- Refuse receptacles must have tight-fitting lids/covers, vermin-proof and easily cleaned.
- Refuse storage must be in a designated space separate from food handling operations and made inaccessible to vermin.
- Temporary storage in garbage depository with collection on time as scheduled by the city/municipal system; waste must be collected daily or more often as necessary.
- Containers must be thoroughly brushed and cleaned inside and outside with water and soap after emptying.
- Vermin control requires:
- A vermin abatement program per the Vermin Control provisions of P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
- The establishment to be kept free from vermin.
- Control of bushes, weeds, and grass to prevent harborage.
- Cover and protect foods that attract vermin.
- Protect foodstuffs, utensils, and equipment during pest control operations.
- Pest control supervised by the local health officer or authorized representative or done by a certified urban pest control applicator.
- Maintenance of a vermin abatement/pest control program by owners, operators, or administrators; if they fail to maintain it, the local health office undertakes the work at their expense.
- Procedure and frequency determined and approved by the local health office.
Market sanitary requirements by section
- All perishable food sections must comply with minimum standards covering:
- Source controls: foods must come from approved sources such as licensed slaughterhouses, licensed food manufacturing/processing plants, licensed poultry farms, shellfish farms, and fish/grains/vegetables/fruits/food materials with required transfer permits from the local health officer.
- Meat controls: all meat must come from duly licensed slaughterhouses and must bear proper stamping/branding and a Meat Inspection Certificate issued through meat inspection/handling requirements.
- Prohibition on sourcing from polluted or toxic contamination origins, and prohibition on sourcing from areas affected by radioactivity subject to the agencies’ standards.
- Freshness and labeling restrictions: all displayed foods must be fresh, show no spoilage/contamination, and must not be adulterated or misbranded.
- Food-contact surface construction and condition: tables and similar contact surfaces must be even and impervious, free of cracks and crevices, and easily cleaned.
- Vermin protection for raw foods: raw foods must be protected from vermin.
- Handling limitation: raw foods shall not be handled unnecessarily by vendors and consumers.
- Prohibition on damaged, poorly preserved, or expired foods; condemned and destroyed foods must be handled by the local health office, and the owner must receive a prescribed receipt (EHS Form No. 113) stating kind and quantity, with records maintained in the local health office.
- Prohibition on using printed or used paper or similar articles directly for wrapping or covering food, bakery, or confectionery products.
- Food transporting and handling requirements for markets must follow the Food Establishments implementing framework of P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
- Equipment, containers, and utensils must meet the Food Establishments requirements under P.D. 856 and implementing rules, including:
- Scraping utensils of food particles into trash bags before washing.
- Washing utensils in warm water at 49°C (120°F) with soap or detergent.
- Changing wash-water frequently if running water is not used.
- Sanitization through one of the bactericidal treatment methods listed, including:
- Hot water immersion at at least 77°C (170°F) for at least half a minute,
- Chlorine solution immersion of 50 to 100 ppm for at least one minute,
- Steam cabinet exposure at at least 170°F for at least 15 minutes or at 200°F for at least 5 minutes,
- Open/hot air cabinet exposure at at least 82°C (180°F) for at least 20 minutes,
- Iodine solution immersion (12.5 ppm) for one minute,
- Any other method approved by the local health officer.
- Meat stall rules require:
- Meat stalls located separate from fish stalls.
- Evisceration, skinning, or any operation other than cutting meat to facilitate sale is strictly prohibited.
- Chopping blocks made of even impervious easy-clean materials free of cracks/crevices.
- Meat hung on a hanging rail, not kept lying on counters.
- Conspicuous stall signboards indicating kind of meat sold.
- Stalls kept clean, sanitary, and free from vermin at all times.
- Fish stall rules require:
- Fish stalls separate from meat section.
- Prohibition on selling fish caught using explosives, chemicals, and other unapproved manners.
- Chopping blocks impervious, easy-clean, crack/crevice-free.
- Fish stalls kept clean and sanitary at all times.
- Weighing rules require:
- Scales properly calibrated and kept clean.
- Raw meat/fish not placed directly on weighing scales; approved containers/wrappers must be used during weighing.
- Dry goods section rules require:
- Arrangements that do not obstruct aisles and passageways and allow smooth customer flow.
- Proper display and protection from dust/contaminants.
- Stalls and equipment/tools kept clean, sanitary, and free from vermin at all times.
- Cooked food section rules require:
- Cooked foods protected against vermin and dirt.
- Vendors have sufficient clean sanitary equipment and utensils.
- Utensils and equipment sanitized after use.
- Heating allowed only in the cooked food section, only if it does not cause nuisance and is not a fire hazard.
- Prepared and cooked foods served using forks, spoons, ladles, or similar utensils and not with bare hands.
- Cooked food operations must adopt other Food Establishments requirements under P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
Market operations, maintenance, and conduct
- Owners/operators must provide necessary personnel such as security guards, complaint desk personnel, janitors, and cleaning maintenance equipment/supplies.
- Market Master/manager/operator must strictly implement regular general cleanliness at least twice daily, in cooperation with stallholders and the general public.
- Complaint desk/suggestion box must be available in a conspicuous part of the market.
- Repairs of structure, plumbing, and drainage must be conducted without delay as necessary and as prescribed by the local health officer or authorized representative.
- Shanties, unauthorized structures, and independent rooms are prohibited in or about the market except authorized offices of market employees.
- No sheds, landscapes, or appurtenant structures such as kitchens, stores, living quarters, or dormitories are allowed on market land unless they are in approved plans and conditions by the local health authority or authorized representative.
- Using the market as a living or sleeping quarter is strictly prohibited.
- Stall rules require:
- Stalls must conform to sanitary permit requirements under Part III, Section 3 of these rules.
- Stalls or portions must not be used as living/sleeping quarters.
- No stall may be assigned to sell articles different from its assigned purpose.
- No person may alter, disfigure, add to, or change stall or market fixtures without written permission from the local health authority or authorized representative.
- Conduct rules prohibit:
- Ambuant peddlers and hawkers displaying/plying trade in market aisles, sidewalks, stairways in or around the market place, or outside designated sections.
- Obstruction of aisles and passageways.
- Any sale on alleys, sidewalks, or any space other than stalls.
- Keeping animals or fowls not intended for sale inside the market.
- Remaining standing/sitting/lying down on tables or counters where food is being sold.
- Children playing in or around stalls or the market premises.
- Animal display for sale must follow cleanliness and storage location rules:
- Cages/pens for animals for sale must be kept clean, not stored in areas where readily perishable foods are sold.
Responsibilities of consumers and managers—Markets
- Consumers must protect market facilities from damage, observe proper handling of foods being sold, maintain cleanliness, and return merchandise to provided shelves if they decide not to purchase.
- Stallholders must maintain stall cleanliness, observe solid waste management, keep aisles free from obstructions, protect market facilities from damage, and comply with the implementing rules.
- The Market Master/Private Market Manager must:
- Post sanitation and good order rules in conspicuous areas in English, Filipino, or the local dialect.
- Furnish each stallholder a copy of the rules in English, Filipino, or the local dialect.
- Keep the market and its premises in clean and sanitary condition at all times.
- Ensure the wet section floor is scrubbed to avoid accumulation of mud/dirt.
- Be custodian of market properties.
- Comply with the implementing rules.
- The Market Administrator must:
- Initiate and oversee posting of sanitation and good order rules.
- Ensure all public markets in the city or municipality are maintained in accordance with these rules.
- The Supermarket Manager must:
- Post rules in conspicuous areas in English, Filipino, or local dialect.
- Maintain sanitary condition of all areas and premises.
- Keep the establishment free from solid waste and vermin.
- Protect the establishment from damage.
- Comply with these rules.
Specific sanitary requirements—Supermarkets
- Supermarkets must be constructed in accordance with the National Building Code of the Philippines and its implementing rules.
- Construction requirements include:
- Floors made of durable water-resistant materials, easily cleaned, free of cracks/indentations, non-slippery, and with rounded floor-wall angles of at least 7.62 centimeters (3 inches), kept clean and dry.
- Internal walls with smooth, even, impervious, easily cleaned surfaces painted light color, with firmly adhered wall covering to avoid vermin harborage.
- Ceilings at least 3 meters (10 feet) high, smooth, painted light color, and kept clean.
- Lighting of at least 20 foot-candles (215.2 lux) throughout all areas.
- Ventilation that eliminates objectionable odors and prevents condensation/excess moisture; mechanical ventilation must be provided where natural ventilation is absent, and odor absorbers like activated carbon or air purifiers must be provided especially in odor-emitting product areas.
- Space and layout require:
- At least 1 square meter (1 0.76 square feet) open space per customer for movement while selecting/collecting goods.
- Aisles minimum width of 1.5 meters (4.92 feet).
- Supermarkets must be sectioned by merchandise type with signs with clearly legible letters at least 10 centimeters (4 inches) high above each shelf.
- Packaged food controls:
- Canned foods and foods packed in carton must come from approved sources and be properly stored to prevent spoilage.
- No canned foods with dents, rust, or bulge may be sold.
- Canned foods and food in cans must meet BFAD requirements under Bureau Order No. 163 s. 1997 and Administrative Order No. 88-B s. 1984 on labeling of prepackaged food.
- Readily perishable foods must be stored at 7°C (45°F) or colder and must conform to shelf life requirements.
- Refrigerated food controls:
- Chilled products maintained between 0 to 4°C.
- Frozen products maintained below 0°C.
- First-in first-out must be strictly implemented.
- Medicines and other pharmaceutical products:
- Must be located in areas separate from food sections and not easily reached by children.
- First-in first-out must be strictly implemented.
- Total quality management in dispensing must be strictly implemented.
- Other section-specific requirements:
- Toys must pass DOH requirements and be located separate from food section areas.
- Only properly sealed and labeled insecticides and chemicals may be displayed; periodic inspection must be implemented to prevent accidental spillage and contamination; stored separate from food section and not easily reached by children.
- Clothing must be properly displayed in areas minimizing dust accumulation.
- Household cleaning materials, hardware, plastic products, glassware, kitchenware, cosmetics, and similar merchandise must be arranged and located on shelves separate from other sections.
- Food and drinks must conform to the Food Establishments implementing rules of P.D. 856.
- Pushcarts and baskets must be properly located in designated areas and kept clean at all times.
- Cashier counter sanitation requires keeping the counter and counting area clean and sanitized and preventing contamination of goods by detergents, insecticides, chemicals, and other hazardous materials.
- Storage rules require:
- Food and food materials to follow Food Establishments requirements.
- Dry storage using designated spaces/cabinets/cupboards/racks/shelves/containers made of quality consistent with food preparation materials; containers must be metal or non-corrosive materials with tight covers; storage rooms must be vermin proof.
- Goods must be stored at least 20 centimeters (8 inches) above the floor.
- Dry storage humidity must not exceed 60%.
- Loading/unloading area standards require:
- Sufficient ramped space with awning/roofing.
- Non-skid flooring.
- Adequate lighting of at least 30 foot-candles.
- Cleanliness and orderliness maintained.
- Delivery transport vehicle requirements require:
- Vehicles to protect contents from contamination.
- Vehicles carrying readily perishable foods with travel time more than one (1) hour must have refrigeration equipment maintaining temperature not higher than 7°C (45°F) throughout the trip.
- Vehicles kept clean; no contaminating substances transported with food or food products.
- Promotional sales controls require:
- Foods and promotional products and employees must be located so they do not obstruct smooth flow of customers.
- Promotional personnel must conform to health certificate requirements under these rules.
- Sanitary facilities in supermarkets require:
- Potable and adequate water in accordance with Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water and P.D. 856 water supply implementing rules; minimum supply of 40 liters per capita per day.
- Toilet and hand-washing facilities follow Part I, Section 4, subsection 4.3 of these rules.
- Sewage disposal compliant with the Sewage Collection and Disposal, Excreta Collection and Drainage framework of P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
- Solid waste management compliant with Refuse Disposal framework of P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
- Vermin control compliant with Vermin Control framework of P.D. 856 and implementing rules.
Scope and definitions—Abattoirs
- These abattoir/slaughterhouse rules apply to all abattoirs/slaughterhouses and similar establishments where food animals are slaughtered for commercial purposes, operated by government agencies/instrumentalities (including government owned or controlled corporations) and by private entities, firms, or individuals.
- The rules define:
- “Abattoir/slaughterhouse” as the facility for slaughter of food animals for human consumption.
- “Carcass” as all parts excluding viscera after bleeding and dressing that may be used for human consumption.
- “Disinfection” as elimination/reduction to safe levels of potentially infectious microorganisms by thermal, chemical, or other methods.
- “Dressed/dressing” describing removal of heads/hides/viscera/genital organs/urinary bladder/feet up to joints/udder status and pregnancy or farrowing/lambing stages, with distinct provisions for different animal types.
- “Fit for human consumption” as meat inspected, passed, appropriately stamped, and found after postmortem inspection with no disease change, decomposition, or contamination.
- “Food animal” to include domestic livestock such as cattle, carabao, buffalo, horse, sheep, goat, swine, deer, rabbit, and poultry such as chicken, duck, goose, turkey, pigeon.
- “Meat inspector”, “meat control officer”, “meat inspection certificate”, and “meat inspection stamp” tied to official meat inspection and NMIC-approved stamping/tagging.
- “Sick or suspect” animal framework includes animals suspected of being affected with disease/condition requiring condemnation and further examination.
- “Vermin” and “Vermin abatement program”.
- “Viscera” as internal organs.
Abattoir construction standards
- An abattoir site must be at least 200 meters from residential areas, schools, churches, and places of public assembly, and from funeral establishments, courts, or public office, and at least 25 meters from markets and other food establishments.
- The operator must ensure sanitary construction and maintenance conform to DOH standards and NMIC requirements.
- Building construction and maintenance must use durable, corrosion-resistant materials and maintain all parts of the building in good condition.
- Size requirements for new or extensively altered/renovated slaughtering/offal cleaning areas set minimum slaughtering area dimensions using tables:
- Swine only: 21 m²; Cattle only: 23 m²; Swine and cattle: 28 m²; Poultry: 14 m².
- Offal cleaning area minimums: Swine only 10 m²; Cattle only 20 m²; Swine and cattle 30 m².
- When throughput warrants, sizes must be increased appropriately.
- Floor requirements require durable water-resistant, crack/indentation-free, non-slippery floors with rounded floor-wall angles of at least 7.62 centimeters (3 inches), sloping toward drains:
- Cattle pens: floor slope not less than 5.2 centimeters per meter.
- Swine pens: floor slope not less than 4.2 centimeters per meter.
- Walls/partitions/posts/doors require:
- Impervious materials to at least 2 meters height, readily and thoroughly cleanable.
- Walls free of cracks/crevices in white or light color.
- Doors at least 1.5 m wide for smooth workflow; doors opening from areas handling meat must have air screens or be self-closing and snug double action doors.
- Overhead rail placement and minimum dimensions require compliance with prescribed distances and the table-based requirements for cattle/hog rails, including specified vertical distances for bleeding rails and required horizontal spacing.
- Ceiling requirements require appropriate height for carcasses to hang without touching the floor, and design to prevent dust/condensation accumulation.
- Lighting requirements require:
- No glare, even distribution, and lighting that does not alter meat color.
- Bulbs/fixtures must be safe or protected against contamination upon breakage.
- Minimum artificial light intensity measured 76.2 centimeters (30 inches) above the floor:
- 150 foot-candles (538 lux) at inspection and workrooms,
- 10 foot-candles (107.6 lux) at chilling rooms,
- 20 foot-candles (215.2 lux) in other areas.
- Ventilation requirements require:
- Adequate ventilation per DOH standards to permit fresh air and remove odors/heat/moisture.
- Ventilation openings with screens.
- Airflow designed to move from food areas to by-product areas, from edible to inedible areas, and from cooked/finished food areas to raw areas; airflow from warm to cold minimized to avoid condensation problems.
- Equipment layout requires:
- Equipment installed at least 30 centimeters (1 foot) from walls/supports and increased spacing for large equipment.
- Stainless steel or other approved impervious, nontoxic, corrosion-resistant materials; galvanized metal may be used with smoothness of high commercial dip.
- Arrangement facilitating sanitary contact; proper installation and easy cleanability.
- Meat loading area must be well constructed and separated from unloading area.