Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Mar

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

Third Regular Session

53919

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. EVELIO R. LEONARDIA

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Safe and clean drinking water is a basic human need that even if a person
stays outside of his home the necessity to supplement his body of this natural
element, especially when during and after taking a meal or food in business
establishments or outlets

However, it has been the practice of some food establishments either in the
operation of restaurants or simply eatery outlets that during and/or after their
customers ordered meal or food either for a monetary consideration or for free, no
drinking water is being served or, worse, such establishments would yet sell such
necessity to their customers.

Thus, to instill both humanitarian responsibility and social and civic duty to the
public consumers, away from any form of commercialism or a subtle profit-making
scheme, there is a need to enact a law to make the serving of a free safe and clean
drinking water to the customers of restaurants and food outlets

As such, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought

-

REP. EVELIO R. LEONARDIA
Lone District, Bacolod City



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

539i3

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. EVELIO R. LEONARDIA

AN ACT
MANDATING RESTAURANTS AND FOOD OUTLETS TO SERVE FREE SAFE
AND CLEAN DRINKING WATER TO THEIR CUSTOMERS

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Free Drinking Water Act”
SECTION 2. For purposes of this Act the following shall be the definition of terms:

Drinking Water — a safe and clean water for human consumption
either processed for its purification through distillation or in whatever
‘means to obtain its purity, cleanliness, and sanitation.

Restaurant — business establishment. for refreshment or dining
that caters food for the general public either for free or with a monetary
consideration operating independently by itself or within or inside
another establishment like hotels, motels, professional clubs and the like.
Hotel, Motel, Inn, lodging house and the like similarly falls in this
definition with regard to their check-in customers in the duration of their
stay

Food Outlet — is a business emtity that caters food either for free
or with monetary consideration in short order, single serving, quick
orders, or by vending any food in stalls situated in malls, shopping
centers, transportation terminals such as airports, bus station, train
station, shipping terminals, and the like, and other private business
establishments. This entity shall likewise cover that similar activity in
the airplane, bus, train, ship, and other similar vehicles of transport
under Philippine registry whose travel may be outside the territorial
jurisdiction of the Philippines, or those similar vehicles of transport of
foreign registry that travel within the Philippine jurisdiction.


Customer ~~ the consumer or patron of restaurant and/or food outlet
who shall include the passenger of any vehicle of transport

SEC. 3. All restaurants and food outlets are mandated to serve free safe and clean
drinking water to their customers regardless whether the catered food services was for free or
for a monetary or valuable consideration.

SEC. 4, The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), in coordination with the
Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Health, and the Department of
Transportation and Communication, shall ensure the effective information dissemination of
this Act.

SEC. 5. Restaurant and food outlets and all those covered in their definitions shall
post their notice of free safe and drinkable water service in the conspicuous place of their
respective premises

SEC. 6. Violation of this Act shall constitute the penalty of a fine of Ten Thousand
Pesos (P10,000,00) and/or imprisonment of not more than six (6) months or both, When the
offense is committed by corporation or partnership, there shall be a prima facie evidence of
joint responsibility on both the employees concerned and the corporate officers or partners
Likewise the same prima facie evidence of joint responsibility on both the employees
concerned and the proprietor in regard to a single proprietorship.

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifleen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,