EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
nf tor ir^'t rrt2 iP
’19 
OCT 14 
P 3 5 5
S E N A T E
S. No. 1118
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED NATIONAL POLICY 
AND PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 
DORMITORIES 
AND 
BOARDING 
HOUSES, 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Students who have to stay far away from home to attend school face a lot of 
challenges -  loads of school works, familiarization of their new environment, building 
new relationships with teachers, schoolmates and friends, and keeping themselves 
safe and sound while they are away from their homes and families. While they are 
on guard on all of these concerns all day, the only time they can relax and recharge 
for the next day's activities is when they reach their dormitories or boarding houses.
While a good number of dormitories and boarding houses set and strictly 
implement their own house rules, others remain negligent and careless, thus 
sacrificing the security of their place and their tenants. As a matter of fact, thousands 
of cases of theft in dormitories have already been reported. 
A good number of 
dormitories also provide adequate facilities needed by students for their education and 
health. But others still fail to do this and instead offer crude spaces barely comfortable 
for resting and studying. It is a fact that the quality of place depends on the amount 
one is willing to pay. Thus, those students who have limited budget have to make do 
with dormitories and boarding houses which do not even have the minimum decency 
and safety of a place to stay.


This measure seeks to establish a national policy and program guidelines for 
the operation and maintenance of dormitories and boarding houses with the aim of 
providing each and every student in our country the minimum requirements for a 
decent, conducive and safe place to stay while they are attending school.
Similar measures were filed during the previous Congresses but were not 
enacted into law.
In this light, the immediate passage of this bill is highly recommended.
RAMO^BONG REVILLA, JR.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
'  * til? fer-tretaiy
'19 
OCT 14 
P3 5 5
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED NATIONAL POLICY 
AND PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 
DORMITORIES 
AND 
BOARDING 
HOUSES, 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representative o f the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Section 1. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the State
2 
to promote and improve the condition of those living in dormitories and boarding
3 
houses. Towards this end, the State shall adopt a national standard for the operation
4 
and maintenance of dormitories and boarding houses to make these facilities
5 
conducive to living and learning.
6 
Sec. 2. Definition o f Terms. -  As used in this Act, the following terms shall
7 
mean:
8 
(a) "Dormitory"or "boarding house"- any house or building or portion thereof
9 
in which six (6) or more persons may be regularly accepted as boarders on
10 
a daily, weekly, or monthly basis; and,
11 
(b) "Dormitory or boarding house helpers"- cooks, food handlers, helpers who
12 
handle the food services for the boarders and any other persons who shall
13 
assist the owners of boarding houses or dormitories in housing maintenance
14 
and other similar household chores.
15 
Sec. 3. License from Local Governments. -  It shall be unlawful for any person
16 
to own, keep, maintain or operate any dormitory or boarding house without first


1 
obtaining a license from the city or municipal government. The license which shall be
2 
posted in a conspicuous place shall specify the number of persons allowed to dwell or
3 
board in every dormitory or boarding house.
4 
Sec. 4. Classes o f Dormitories and Boarding Houses. -  For purposes of this
5 
Act, dormitories and boarding houses shall have the following classifications:
6 
(a) Class A -  dormitories and boarding houses providing accommodations
7 
for fifty (50) boarders or more;
8 
(b) Class B -  dormitories and boarding houses providing accommodations
9 
for thirty (30) but less than fifty (50) boarders;
10 
(c) Class C -  dormitories and boarding houses providing accommodations
11 
for twenty (20) but less than thirty (30) boarders;
12 
(d) Class D -  dormitories and boarding houses providing accommodations
13 
for more than five (5) but less than twenty (20) boarders.
14 
Sec. 5. Minimum Dormitory or Boarding House Rentals. -T h e  local government
15 
units (LGIs, through their respective Sanggunians, shall fix the minimum monthly
16 
boarding rentals taking into consideration the following factors:
17 
(a) site of the dormitory or boarding house, whether urban or rural areas;
18 
(b) classification of the dormitory or boarding house;
19 
(c) facilities and premises offered;
20 
(d) number of boarders allowed in each room;
21 
(e) construction of the building; and,
22 
(f) such other factors which may be deemed necessary under the
23 
circumstances.
24 
In the absence of any agreement for the payment or additional expenses for
25 
electric, telephone and water utility bills, the minimum boarding house rental
26 
prescribed under this Section shall be the basic rentals which shall be paid to the
27 
owner inclusive of electric, telephone, and water bills.
28 
Sec. 6. 
Renta! Discounts to Student Boarders. -  All boarding houses and
29 
dormitories shall give a discount often percent (10%) for all students. Students shall
30 
be required to present school registration cards or similar documents to serve as proof
31 
thereof.


1 
Sec. 7. Building Type for Dormitories and Boarding Houses. -  Any three-storey
2 
building erected as a dormitory or boarding house for the accommodation of one
3 
hundred (100) persons or any building or section of building exceeding three (3)
4 
storeys to be used for the said purpose must be made of or reinforced with concrete
5 
structural framing covered with concrete: Provided, however, That existing three-
6 
storey buildings presently maintained as boarding houses or dormitories shall be
7 
exempted from the requirements of this Section: Provided, further, That if more than
8 
fifty percent (50%) of such buildings are repaired or altered, the requirements herein
9 
provided shall be complied with. Building accommodating less than one hundred (100)
10 
persons shall not exceed three-storey in height or twelve (12) meters of the structure
11 
thereof is non-fireproof but in no case lower in quality than that of a frame structure.
12 
Sec, 8. Dormitory and Boarding House Heipers. — The owners and operators
13 
of dormitories or boarding houses shall employ at least one (1) helper for every fifty
14 
(50) boarders or occupants for the proper maintenance of the said dormitories or
15 
boarding houses.
16 
Sec. 9. Lighting and Eiectricai Faciiities. — All rooms, passageways and other
17 
parts of the premises especially those intended for reading and studying purposes
18 
shall be properly and adequately lighted by natural or artificial means or both in
19 
consonance with the standards of illumination practices.
20 
Sec. 10. Ventiiation and Spacing. — All buildings erected or repaired for use as
21 
boarding houses or dormitories shall have rooms with adequate ventilations and
22 
enough space for comfort. All bedrooms shall have a window. Beds shall be arranged
23 
in such manner as would provide adequate space to give the boarders enough room
24 
for mobility.
25 
Sec. 11. Sanitary Faciiities. -  All dormitories and boarding houses shall provide
26 
a lavatory for every ten (10) boarders and such other necessary sanitary facilities as
27 
may be determined by the LGU where such dwelling houses are located.
28 
Sec. 12. 
Fire Protection Faciiities. -  Dormitories and boarding houses shall
29 
provide fire escapes and other firefighting facilities, including but not limited to fire
30 
extinguishers and hose cabinet.


1 
Sec. 13. Study Room. -  Dormitories or boarding houses having twenty (20) or
2 
more boarders shall provide a study room for general use by the persons dwelling on
3 
the same.
4 
Sec. 14. 
First Aid. -  Every owner shall maintain in his boarding house or
5 
dormitory such basic first aid medicine and equipment as may be necessary for
6 
emergency purposes.
7 
Sec. 15. 
Garbage Receptacies. -  All boarding houses or dormitories shall
8 
provide garbage receptacles to be disposed daily.
9 
Sec. 16. Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras. -  All boarding houses or
10 
dormitories shall install closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) cameras in strategic areas in
11 
their vicinity. Such CCTV cameras are intended to prevent and address wrongdoings
12 
and crimes, and not, in any way, to intrude into the privacy of the tenants. Said CCTV
13 
cameras should be operational 24 hours, 7 days a week and recordings should be kept
14 
in file for at least one (1) year.
15 
Sec. 17. 
Treatment o f Boarders. -  All boarders shall be treated in just and
16 
humane manner. In no case shall physical violence and other ignominious act shall
17 
be inflicted upon boarders.
18 
Sec. 18. Termination Notice. -  If a period is fixed for the lease of a room in
19 
the boarding house or similar dwelling units, neither the boarding house owner nor
20 
the boarder may terminate the contract before the expiration of the term, except for
21 
a just cause. If the boarder is unjustly evicted from the boarding house, he or she
22 
shall be paid damages equivalent to one-half month rental. 
If the boarder leaves
23 
without justifiable reasons and without proper notice, he or she shall forfeit any
24 
deposit made on rentals not exceeding fifteen (15) days. If the duration of the stay
25 
in the boarding house is not determined by contract or by agreement of the parties,
26 
the boarding house owner or the boarder may give notice to terminate the same at
27 
least five (5) days before the intended date thereof.
28 
Sec. 19. Duty o f Boarding House or Dormitory Owners. -  All owners of boarding
29 
houses and dormitories shall carry out the provisions of this Act in good faith. Unless
30 
there is any compelling reason, in no case shall a dormitory or boarding house owner
31 
deny the application of a student.


1 
Sec. 20. Ucense Fees. -  All local government units, through their respective
2 
Sanggunian, shall fix the annual license fees to be imposed on boarding houses and
3 
dormitories considering the classification mentioned in Section 4 hereof, the rentals
4 
paid by boarders and other necessary considerations.
5 
Sec. 21. Local Ordinance as Necessary Rules and Regulations. -  LCDs through
6 
their respective Sanggunian shall pass an ordinance providing for the necessary rules
7 
and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
8 
Sec. 22. Penalty. -  In case of violation of any of the provisions of this Act, the
9 
license and permit to operate the dormitory or boarding house and all sums paid
10 
therefor shall, after due notice and hearing, be revoked and forfeited, and any person
11 
responsible for such violation shall be punished \A/ith imprisonment for a period not
12 
exceeding six (6) months or a fine not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) nor
13 
more than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) or both, at the discretion of the Court.
14 
Sec. 23. Separability Clause. -  If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
15 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
16 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
17 
Sec. 24. 
Repealing Clause. -  Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
18 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary
19 
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or
20 
amended accordingly.
21 
Sec. 25. 
Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
22 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
23
24 
Approved,