r'-'
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
fur of tijc fearfforj)
SENATE
20
MAY-4 ' A9 :38/
S.B. No. 1461
pcrci- ;• n
/
INTRODUCED BY: SENATOR EMMANUEL D. PACQUIAO .r17L' —
AN ACT
ENFORCING MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CONTAGIOUS 
DISEASES IN THE COMMUNITY AND SELECT PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS 
AND EVENTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution directs the State to protect and promote 
the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Moreover, Article 
Xin, Section 11 of the Constitution mandates the State to adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development.
The continuing experience and effects in the Philippines of the worldwide pandemic 
caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus that is known for short as “Covid-19” shows that the 
respiratory illness can spread in a rapid pace.
The World Health Organization (WHO), and government health departments and 
epidemic and new disease research institutions here and abroad, including our Department of 
Health, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and academic institutions have began 
significant studies of the disease.
These centers of health concerns singularly recognize that the vims causing the disease 
spreads from person-to-person, through discharged body fluids from a carrier infected person. 
Common vehicles medium of transfer are droplets of saliva or mucus that are discharged when 
a earner coughs or sneezes and then are carried in the air for some time and fi>r up to six feet 
or settle and are maintained for even longer times on various surfaces.
The whole world is now witness to the gravity of an epidemic and of a pandemic. Health 
and allied health institutions are swamped with cases to treat. Deaths can come in daily 
substantial numbers. Communities and families can be held hostage within the boundaries of 
localities and even the small limits of abodes. Businesses can be held to a standstill and will be 
forced to cope with losses. The economies of nations are seriously endangered. Worst of all, 
these scenarios can continue until scientists find a cure or vaccine to control the disease and 
until governments find solutions to the detrimental effects.


/ o
Given the urgency and necessity to institute measures to mitigate the spread of viruses 
and other microbes that cause diseases, this bill seeks to institute health and hygiene measures 
that can lead to a new normal in communities. This shall not only prevent the spread of 
contagious diseases, but may even lessen the occurrence of common illnesses.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly so
QUIAO
EMMANUEU


5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
of tije gfi'rrrlsrp
First Regular Session
20 HAY “4
SENATE
S.B. No.
INTRODUCED BY: SENATOR EMMANUEL D. PACQUIAO
AN ACT
ENFORCING MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CONTAGIOUS 
DISEASES IN THE COMMUNITY AND SELECT PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS AND
EVENTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and Home of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as "Contagion Mitigation Act of2020."
2 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the
3 
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Thus, it shall adopt an
4 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development.
The continuing Covid-19 pandemic experience in the Philippines has shown that there is 
an urgent need for measures to be followed that will define a new normal for the behavior and 
safe interaction of people, and for the resumption of transactions of businesses and management 
of events that gather many individuals, in order to continue to mitigate the effects, stem and 
manage the spread of the Covid-19 disease in the country, and control if not prevent other 
possible future contagious illnesses from spreading in a manner like the Covid-19 disease.
Section 3. Definition of Terms. For the purposes of this Act, these terms are defmedas 
follows:
,. 
Disinfectant or Sanitizing Substance. It refers to FDA-approved substance that i$
medically accepted and recognized to effectively disinfect or clean the skin especially hand 
surfaces, of individuals.
. . 
, Face Mask- I1: is a disposable or washable mask that can be placed on an
individu^ s face sufficient to cover the mouth and nasal passage and prevent the passage into the 
surrounding air and from the mouth or nose of saliva, mucus or other body fluids.


3
4
5
6
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
c. Hair Net. It is a netting that can be worn by individual’s to hold together the top 
hair and prevent said hair from swinging or moving around while the individual moves about.
e. Public Establishments and Public Events. This covers establishments and events 
that gather in a constricted area a minimum of ten (10) persons.
f Physical distancing. It involves taking steps to limit the number of people one 
come into close contact with.
7 
g. Hazardous waste. It refers to any residues containing properties that are
8 
potentially dangerous to human health and the environment, which include but not limited to
9 
clinical wastes, infectious substances, discarded cleaning products.
Parti
Mitigation Measures
Section 4. Contagion Mitigation in Public Establishments and Public Events — As long as 
the Inter-Agency Task Force (lATF) of the Government relevant to the Covid-19 pandemic 
continues to manage the Covid-19 disease in the country or when said LATF shall declare 
otherwise, and in the future event of an outbreak of another contagious disease as may be 
decided by the Government, every establishment or event, whether public or privately owned, 
administered or organized, that is open to the general public and has the capacity to allow into its 
premises or into the event at least ten (10) persons at any one time, including but not limited to 
restaurants and eateries; food halls; hotels, condominiums and inns; malls and groceries, markets 
and supermarkets; public utility vehicle terminals; concerts, sports events and other performance 
events or venues; theaters; convention and meeting venues; libraries; government offices and 
lounges for interface with the public; shall comply with the following:
(a) An apparatus shall be placed at the entrance to and exit from the premises of the 
establishment or event, in a number reasonably proportionate to the person-capacity 
of the establishment or event, and that dispenses a disinfectant or sanitizing substance 
for the free use of entering and exiting persons.
(b) As far as practicable, all establishments must provide functional hand hygiene 
facilities to their customers.
(c) Liquid hand soap or bar soap and a disinfectant or sanitizing substance shall be 
maintained in all the comfort room/s of the establishment or event for the hand or 
fece washing of persons free of charge in the establishment or event.
(d) Poster instructions shall be placed near to the foregoing provisions that shall 
encourage and instruct the proper use of the foregoing;
(e) A hair net and face mask shall be provided by the establishment or event free of 
charge for each of the employees and other workers of the establishment or event that


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
interfaces with the customers or general public, and those that prepare, hanHla or 
package food products or other things for sale or distribution to the customers or 
general public. Disposable gloves shall additionally be provided for those that 
prepare, handle or package food products.
(f) At least one (1) comfort room on the ground floor of the establishment for the free 
use of senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and children.
(g) All establishments must conduct daily disinfection and cleaning of their premises in 
accordance with the standard procedure as determined by the appropriate agency.
(h) With the exception of the case of small infants and children of up to ten (10) years 
old, mandatory physical distancing shall be enforced within the establishment or 
during the event to maintain spaces of at least one (1) meter between persons. For the 
same purpose, the capacity limit of persons for the establishment or event shall be 
posted at its entrance computed from the public area of the establishment or event.
(i) Mandatory temperature checks shall be made at the entrance of enclosed areas.
(j) Personal information that is mmimally sufficient to enable contact tracing shall be 
taken from individual or groups of customers or patrons to the establishment or event.
In addition to the foregoing, the establishments and events are encouraged to develop 
hand signals for communication between its employees especially in the areas of interface with 
the customers or general public.
Section 5. Contagion Mitigation in All Schools. — To help in obtaining a clean 
environment in all schools and health safety of students, teachers, and staff, the following must 
be observed in all schools at all levels, whether private or public:
(a) Promote and demonstrate frequent and proper handwashing and positive hygiene 
behaviors;
(b) Place functional hand hygiene fecilities in toilets, classrooms, offices, and at the 
entrance to and exit from halls, gymnasiums and other areas within the school 
premises;
(c) Posting of signages encouraging good hand and respiratory hygiene practices;
(d) Conduct regular disinfoction and cleaning of school surfaces;
(e) Provide water, sanitation and waste management facilities, following enviromnental 
cleaning and decontamination procedures;
(f) Increase air flow and ventilation in all buildings;
(g) Establish procedures if students or staff become unwell, including coordination with 
local health authorities and an update of emergency contact lists;
(h) Ensure a procedure for separating sick students and staff from those who are well, 
without creating stigma;
(i) Address mental health/psychosocial support needs of foe children;


1
2
3
4
5
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
(j) Plan for continuity of learning in the case of absenteeism/sick leave or temporaiy 
school closures in support of continued access to quality education;
(k) Implement targeted health education by integrating disease prevention and control in 
daily activities and lessons;
(l) Provide adequate protective gears for janitorial personnel.
6 
Section 6. Contagion Mitigation in the Community — Every barangay shall place a poster
7 
within the general public area of its main office that promotes and encourages health and hygiene
8 
practices consistent with the pertinent and prevailing technical guidelines of the Department of
9 
Health and the World Health Organization.
10 
All barangays are encouraged to conduct regular information dissemination within the
11 
barangay, and seminars and workshops, to instruct its residents regarding the foregoing technical
12 guidelines.
To prevent the amassing of garbage along roads and sidewalks, especially in heavily 
congested barangays, all barangays are encouraged to install fixed garbage or trash cans along 
the sidewalks of the barangay, and large bins sufficient in size and number, and properly 
categorized, to serve the households of the barangay, where bags or disposable containers of 
trash or garbage may be placed by barangay residents.
Partn
Restrictions on Individuals in Communities under Quarantine
Section 7. Restrictions on movement. — As long as the Inter-Agency Task Force of the 
Government relevant to the Covid-19 pandemic continues to manage the Covid-19 disease in the 
country or when said lATF shall declare otherwise, and in the fiiture event of an outbreak of 
another contagious disease as may be declared by the Government, every individual residing in 
areas declared to be under enforced community quarantine or lockdown by the national 
government is restricted fi*om leaving his or her place of residence. For the said purposes, an 
individual may only leave his or place of residence to the extent necessary for any of the 
following instances:
a. To work for or with an government-declared essential service provider;
b. To procure essential goods or services;
c. To obtain medical treatment;
d. To seek or render aid in an emergency situation.
Section 8. Prohibition on social gatherings. — As long as the Inter-Agency Task Force of the 
Government relevant to the Covid-19 pandemic continues to manage the Covid-19 disaase in the 
country or when said lATF shall declare otherwise, and in the future event of an outbreak of


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
another contagious disease as may be declared by the Government, every person is prohibited to 
meet another individual not living in the same area of his or her residence for any social purpose.
Section 9. Proper physical distancing. — As long as the Inter-Agency Task Force of the 
Government relevant to the Covid-19 pandemic continues to manage the Covid-19 disease in the 
country or when said lATF shall declare otherwise, and in the future event of an outbreak of 
another contagious disease as may be declared by the Government, when a person is allowed to 
leave his or her place of residence for any of the permitted purposes in Section 10 of this Act, 
said individual must nevertheless observe the following:
a. Maintain at least one (1) meter distance from anyone;
b. Avoid physical contact when greeting another person;
c. Practice good respiratory hygiene such as covering the mouth and nose when coughing or 
sneezing;
d. Use a face mask at all times;
Section 10. Prohibited Acts. — No person or persons shall carelessly, intentionally or 
indiscriminately spit saliva or expel phlegm, mucous, or other substances from the mouth or 
from the nose in the city streets, alleys, sidewalks, parks, malls, markets, streets, public carriers, 
public halls, and buildings, banks, public squares, terminals, shopping and business centers, 
schools, churches, hospital, and other similar public places or any place to which the public has 
access.
Partm
Proper Waste Disposal of Hazardous Waste
Section 11. Proper waste disposal. - Best practices as determined by the proper agencies for 
safely managing and disposing protective equipment such as, but not limited to, masks, face 
shields, gloves, and other health care apparatus must be strictly observed.
Part. IV 
Penalties
S^tion 12. Penalties. Any person caught violating any provision of Sections 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of 
this Act shall be charged with the corresponding penalties, to wit:
a. First Offense -A fine of five thousand pesos (P5,000.00);
b. Second Offense - A fine of ten thousand pesos (PI 0,000.00);
c. Third Offense - A fine of fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00).


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21
22
23
24
25
26 
27
Provided, however, that if the offender is a corporation, association, partnership or any 
juridical person, the penally shall be imposed upon the president, directors, managers, managing 
partners, proprietor, as the case may be, who participated in the commission of the violation or 
who shall have knowingly permitted or failed to prevent the commission of the same.
Provided, further, that an establishment or event found to violate any or all of the 
measures provided under Section 4 of this Act shall have its permit and operation/s suspended 
until compliance is made and shown.
Section 13. ERR and Implementation and Monitoring. — The Department of Health 
(DOH), in consultation with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the 
Department of Trade and Industry (DU) and the FDA where appropriate, shall issue the Rules 
and regulations to Implement this Act within six (6) months.
Local government units shall lead in implementing and monitoring the implementation of 
the provisions of this Act.
The DOH, and if necessary in coordination with the DOST and the DTI, shall conduct 
seminars for the implementation of this Act. Die said agencies shall also conduct regular 
evaluation on the implementation of this Act.
Section 14. Appropriations. Appropriations needed for the implementation of this Act 
shall be derived from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the LGUs and from sources 
provided by the Department of Health (DOH) and other government agencies.
Section 15. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, ordinances, rules and regulations 
or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 16. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional 
or otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected thereof.
Section 17. Effectivity. This shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in at least 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,