Definition of Key Terms
- Accessory Building: Detached secondary building on the same premises.
- Additional Construction: Extensions requiring additional sanitation amenities.
- Apartel: Unit allowing cooking with complete facilities.
- Apartment House: Building with separate residential suites.
- Article of Bedding: Includes all bedding and upholstered furniture used for resting.
- Bathroom: Room containing toilet and bathing facilities.
- Boarding House: Building supplying sleeping accommodations and/or meals for fixed periods.
- Condominium: Multi-unit residential building with joint ownership and complete utilities.
- Egress: Safe means of exit.
- Establishment: Collective term for hotels, motels, apartments, boarding houses, tenement houses, dormitories, inns, lodges, condominiums, etc.
- Function Room: Room rented for public or social events.
- Guest: Occupant of hotel/motel or lodging rooms.
- Health Certificate: Certification after medical examination and immunizations.
- Hotel: Building for regular reception of transient guests for a fee.
- Heated Water: Water heated to at least 49°C (120°F).
- Infestation: Presence of insects, rodents, pests.
- Lettable Room: Room rented for guest occupancy.
- Linen: Includes sheets and tablecloths.
- Lobby: Waiting area furnished with seating.
- Local Health Authority: Governor for provinces; mayor for cities/municipalities.
- Local Health Officer: Provincial, city or municipal health officer.
- Lodging House: Supplies sleeping accommodations only; includes inns, lodges, cottages, etc.
- Motel: Roadside hotel with private cabins.
- Permissible Occupancy: Maximum occupants allowed per room.
- Privacy: Conditions allowing guests uninterrupted activity.
- Room Service: Any service delivered to guest rooms.
- Safety: Condition free from hazards.
- Sanitation Inspector and Engineer: Officials enforcing sanitation laws.
- Sanitary Permit: Certification of compliance with sanitation requirements.
- Tenement House: Building leased to multiple families with shared facilities.
- Vermin: Disease-carrying insects or animals.
Sanitary Permit
- No operation without a sanitary permit.
- Additional constructions require new permits.
- Application and renewal filed with the city or municipal health office.
- Permit issued only after satisfactory inspection.
- Fees set by local ordinance.
- Change in ownership must be noted within 14 working days.
- Permit valid one year, renewable annually.
- Suspension or revocation possible for violations.
- Permit must be conspicuously posted.
- Health offices to keep detailed records of permits.
Health Certificates
- Employment requires a health certificate issued by local health officer.
- Health certificate must have an employee photo and be displayed visibly.
- Certificates renewed annually and are non-transferable.
Sanitary Requirements
- Water Supply:
- Adequate, potable water required.
- Compliance with national standards and regular testing mandatory.
- No cross-connection with unapproved sources.
- Hot and cold water provided in specific establishments with required pressure.
- Plumbing installations per National Plumbing Code.
- Drinking Water Facilities:
- Sanitary design required.
- Ice and water dispensing subject to sanitary standards.
- Bottled water only from approved sources.
- Non-potable water clearly marked.
- Wastewater Disposal:
- Sewage disposal via public sewer or approved method.
- Storm water discharge into storm sewer.
- Grease traps required in food outlets.
- Toilet, Bath, and Handwashing Facilities:
- Provided according to room occupancy.
- Facilities must include toilets, lavatories, baths/showers, with hot water and adequate pressure.
- Separate facilities for employees relative to employee numbers.
- Function rooms and food service areas have minimum sanitary fixtures.
- Solid Waste Management:
- Separation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
- Vermin-proof refuse receptacles with covers.
- Daily or more frequent disposal recommended.
- Storage in vermin-free area.
- Vermin Control:
- Program required and enforced by local health authority.
- Physical measures for screening and rat-proofing.
- Accredited pest control operations mandated.
- Bedding and Linen:
- Clean, laundered linens with specified quantities furnished per room.
- Frequent replacement and good repair required.
- Food and Drink:
- Compliance with food establishment regulations mandatory.
Structural Requirements
- Site:
- Located in designated zones with safe environment and adequate parking.
- Guest Rooms:
- Minimum area requirements and ventilation standards.
- Privacy ensured through approved window coverings.
- No communal cooking in rooms.
- Supply Room:
- Separate spaces for clean and soiled supplies.
- Lighting:
- Specific illumination levels for various areas.
- Free from glare and shadows.
- Ventilation:
- Natural or mechanical ventilation with specific airflow standards.
- Floors:
- Smooth, impervious, easily cleaned materials.
- Proper drainage and cleanliness required.
- Walls and Ceilings:
- Smooth, cleanable, impervious materials in wet areas.
- Maintained in good repair.
Other Facilities
- Hotels/Motels:
- Lobby equipped with seating, designated smoking/non-smoking areas.
- Food service, tonsorial, swimming, fitness, massage facilities compliant with sanitation laws.
- Laundry facilities comply with sanitation code.
- Medical and dental services for employees and guests.
- Dormitories:
- Adequate air space, kitchen and dining facilities required.
- Condominiums, Apartments, Tenements:
- Compliance with structural codes and zoning.
- Location factors such as transport, utilities, sanitation taken into account.
- Other Rooms:
- Must comply with sanitation and applicable laws.
Evaluation and Inspection
- Inspectors perform evaluations quarterly or as needed.
- Inspection fees charged per local ordinance.
- Mission orders authorize inspections and must be presented.
- Inspectors wear prescribed uniforms and carry necessary tools.
- Inspection reports issued with demerits for non-compliance.
- Sanitation ratings posted publicly with color codes.
- Corrective actions required within grace periods.
- Repeat non-compliance leads to permit revocation.
- Immediate permit suspension for health hazards possible.
- Owners may appeal decisions; hearings conducted by local health authorities.
- Entry powers granted to inspectors with proper credentials.
Responsibilities
- Local Health Authority:
- Enact ordinances to enforce rules.
- Provide resources for sanitation inspectors.
- Enforce rules in jurisdiction.
- Local Health Officer:
- Conduct inspections and verify permits and certificates.
- Post sanitation rating stickers.
- Prevent communicable diseases.
- Coordinate with government agencies and tourism department.
- Owner/Operator:
- Report notifiable diseases and deaths.
- Conduct in-house inspections.
- Maintain guest records.
- Cooperate in public health campaigns.
- Assist inspectors during evaluations.
Penalties
- Violations punishable by imprisonment of up to six months or fines not exceeding PHP 1,000, or both.
- Interference with officers or removal of posted notices also punishable under the same conditions.
Separability Clause
- Invalidity of any provision does not affect the rest of the rules.
Repealing Clause
- Previous inconsistent rules and regulations are repealed or amended.
Effectivity
- Rules take effect 15 days after publication in the official gazette or newspaper of general circulation.