SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.No. 
2704 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
·15 
MAR 17 P 2 :34 
PROVIDING FOR DIAPER-CHANGING STATIONS IN RESTROOMS OF ALL 
MAJOR ESTABLISHMENTS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES! 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 5 states: 
The ... promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by 
all the people of the blessings of democracy. 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 states: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people 
and instill health consciousness among them. 
It is the duty of the State to provide for the general welfare and public convenience 
of its people. Today, most establishments do not have diaper-changing tables, while those 
that do, have their diaper-changing stations located in women's restrooms only. First, an 
absence of changing tables results in parents having to change their children's diapers on 
the sink of a public restroom if they could not wait to change these at home. This is 
Unhygienic and also inconvenient for other users of the public restroom. Second, to have 
changing tables located only in female restrooms assumes that only women have the 
1 This bill was originally filed as Senate Bill No. 1358. during the 2013-2014 Regular Session of the 
California Legislature. 
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responsibility to care for children and change their diapers. It fails to consider that even 
men are or should be involved in taking care of children. 
This bill seeks to make it a requirement for major establishments and government 
offices to provide a baby diaper-changing table or station in its restrooms or in a common 
area accessible to both women and men. 
2 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENJUE 
S. No. 
~'704 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
'15 
MAR 17 P2 :34 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
PROVIDING FOR DIAPER-CHANGING STATIONS IN RESTROOMS OF ALL 
3 
MAJOR ESTABLISHMENTS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Diaper-Changing 
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Stations in Restrooms Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definition of terms, -
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(A) 
Diaper-changing station shall mean an area where a person can change the 
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diapers of a child. The station shall accommodate at least a 20-pound child and shall have 
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a trash bin for the disposal of diapers. It shall also have hand washing facilities, in good 
10 
repair. 
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(B) Major establishments shall mean malls, shopping centers, theaters or movie 
12 
houses, convention centers, sports arenas, auditoriums, cultural complexes, exhibition 
13 
halls, permanent amusement parks, health facilities, restaurants that can seat 50 people or 
14 
more, gasoline stations that have restrooms opened to the public, and establishments 
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measuring 25,000 feet or more. This does not apply to an industrial building or to a 
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nightclub or bar that does not permit anyone who is under 18 years of age to enter the 
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premises. This section also does not apply to a restroom located in a health facility if the 
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restroom is intended for the use of one patient or resident at a time. 
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(C) Government offices shall mean all local and national government offices, 
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agencies, and government owned and controlled corporations. 
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SECTION 3. In General. - There shall be at least one safe, sanitary, and 
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convenient baby diaper-changing station that is accessible to restrooms used exclusively 
5 
by women and restrooms used exclusively by men, or at least one safe, sanitary, and 
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convenient baby diaper-changing station that is accessible to both men and women in all 
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major establishments and government offices. 
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SECTION 4. Exceptions. - Section 3 shall not apply if the local building inspector 
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determines that the installation of a baby diaper-changing station is not feasible or would 
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result in a failure to comply with applicable building standards governing the right of 
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access for persons with disabilities. This provision shall also not apply to a restaurant 
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with a seating capacity of 50 people, if there is a centrally located facility with a baby 
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diaper changing station located within 300 feet of the entrance to the restaurant. 
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SECTION 5. Penalties. - Major establishments that fail to comply with the 
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provisions of this Act within one year from its enactment shall be meted with a warning. 
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Major establishments that fail to comply with the provisions ofthis Act six months after 
17 
being issued a warning, shall pay two thousand pesos (~2,000) for every succeeding 
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month until compliance is made. 
19 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
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or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and subsisting. 
22 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
23 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
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1 
or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
2 
accordingly. 
3 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
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its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
iat13March2015 
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