REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. _'7684

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Sanitary inspectors or sanitarians play an important role in the prevention and control of diseases
from spreading in the community. Sanitarians primarily initiate the proper implementation of
environmental sanitation making their roles with regard to the health of the community
indispensable.

Since sanitarians work closely with the community, they are in a very crucial position to effect
change in the sanitary habits and practices of the community. They are also the authority when it
comes to addressing the health hazards and dangers that may put the community at risk.
Moreover, sanitarians are the ones to translate sanitary principles and theories as well as
disseminate and explain health rules to the community. Sadly, there is no government agency
tasked to regulate the practice of sanitation and hygiene which may put in jeopardy the health of
the public.

This bill secks to establish a Board under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
professionalizing the practice of sanitation and hygiene. Also, this bill shall institute mechanisms
to guarantee the fitness of individuals engaged with the sanitation profession.
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

.

IC. ALEJANO
Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


32
33

35
36

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7684

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE REGULATION, SUPERVISION AND
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE PRACTICE, LICENSING, AND REGISTRATION
OF SANITARIANS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House oj Representatives oj the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

ARTICLE
TITLE AND DEFINITION OF TERMS

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "The Sanitarians
Professionalization Act."

SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of sanitarians in
promoting the health and general welfare of the people. Towards this end, the State shall ensure
and promote the professionalization of sanitary inspection; and (b) the supervision and licensing
of sanitary inspectors/sanitarians.

SEC. 3. Objectives. - The Act has the following objectives: (a) the promotion,
development, and professionalization of sanitary inspection; and (b) the supervision and
licensing of sanitary inspectors/sanitarians.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:
(a) "Sanitation and Hygiene Profession or Practice of Sanitation and Hygiene" — refers to
the profession concemed primarily with education, prevention, and control of diseases
and other public health concerns using scientific methods and paramedical measures
related to sanitation and hygiene.

(b) "Sanitarians" - any person engaged in the practice of Sanitation and Hygiene
Profession. This can be used interchangeably with the term "Sanitary Inspector” currently
used by the government in the classification of position title.

(c) "Board" - refers to the Board for Sanitarians duly established and constituted under
this Act.

(@ "Commission" - refers to the Professional Regulation Commission.

SEC. 5. Description and Scope of Work of Sanitary Inspectors. - The Sanitary
Inspectors’ field of work shall involve the education and research, technical supervision,
inspection of establishment and public places, monitoring, issuance of permits, control and
prevention in the fields of:

1. Waste management;


2. Food and water supply sanitation;

3. Vermin and vector control;

4. Industrial hygiene;

5. Epidemiology;

6. Pollution control;

7. Environmental health planning and program development and implementation; and
8. Other community level activities that pertain to public hygiene.

ARTICLE I
BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL SANITARY INSPECTORS

SEC. 6. Creation and Composition of Board. - Within sixty (60) days after the approval
of this Act, there shall be created a Board for Professional Sanitary Inspectors, a collegial body
under the general supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission, herein referred to as
the Board, to be composed of a Chairman and three (3) members, who shall be appointed by the
President among the recommendees chosen from the list of nominees selected by the accredited
association of Sanitary Inspectors, Provided, That the members of the First Board appointed
shall be automatically registered as Sanitarians and issued with certificate of registration and
ynal license upon payment of the fees for registration and other fees prescribed by the

‘The Chairman and the members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3)
years or until their successors shall have been appointed and shall have duly qualified. The first
members of the Board shall hold office for the following terms: one member for one (1) year;
one member for two (2) years; one member for three (3) years. Each member of the Board shall
qualify upon taking the proper oath of office before entering the performance of his duties.
Vacancies in the Board shall be filled for the unexpired term.

SEC. 7. Powers and Duties of the Board. - The Board shall have the following powers
and duties:

(@) Promulgate, administer, and enforce rules and regulations necessary for carrying out
the provisions of this Act in accordance with the charter of the Professional
Regulation Commission;

(b) Prepare a curriculum for the sanitation and hygiene degree to be officially known as
the "Bachelor of Science in Sanitation and Hygiene” (BSSH) and prescribe the syllabi
of the subjects and their relative weight in the licensure examination;

(©) Prepare examination questions, and determine and fix the frequency, dates and places
of examination, appoint supervisors, proctors and other personnel as needed who
shall be entitled a daily allowance as determined by the Board;

(@) Issue, suspend, or revoke certification of registration for the practice of sanitation and
hygiene;

(©) Promulgate rules and regulations including a Code of Ethics, administrative policies,
orders and issuances to carry out the provision of this Act;

(f) Administer oaths in connection with the administrative of this Act;


(g) Supervise and regulate the registration, licensure, and practice of professional
sanitation in the Philippines;

(h) Adopt an official seal of the Board;
(i) Investigate the violations ofthis Act; and

(i) Discharge such other powers, duties, and functions as the Board may deem necessary
for the practice of the sanitation and hygiene profession and upgrading, enhancement,
development, and growth of sanitarians.

SEC. 8. Qualifications of Chairman and Board Members. - The Chairman and each
member of the Board must at the time of his appointment:

(a) Be a Filipino citizen and resident of the Philippines for at least five (5) consecutive
years;

(b) Be at least thirty-five (35) years of age, of proven integrity and high moral turpitude;
(©) Not have been convicted by final judgment of any offense involving moral turpitude;

(d) Be a holder of degree of Bachelor of Science in Sanitation and Hygiene (BSSH) form
a university, school, college, academy, or institutions duly constituted, recognized,
and accredited by the Philippine government: Provided, That this provision shall not
apply within the first fifteen (15) years after the approval of this Act;

(e) Be a registered Sanitarian with a valid Certificate of Registration and a valid license
to practice sanitation and hygiene;

(f) Have practiced sanitation and hygiene for a period of not less than ten (10) years prior
to his appointment; and

(g) Not an official member of the faculty, nor have a pecuniary interest in any university,
college, school, or institution conferring a bachelor’s degree in sanitation and hygiene
or its equivalent for at least three (3) years prior to his appointment, nor connected
with any review center or with any group where lectures in preparation for the
licensure examination are offered or conducted.

SEC. 9. Removal of the Members of the Board. - The Chairman and any member of the
Board may be removed by the President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the
Commissioner for neglect of duty, incompetence, unprofessional, unethical, immoral or
dishonorable conduct, commission or tolerance of anomalies in the examination, after having
been given the opportunity to defend himself in a proper administrative investigation.

SEC. 10. Compensation of the Chairman and the Board Members. -'The Chairman and
the members of the Board shall receive compensation comparable to the compensation received
by existing regulatory boards under the Professional Regulation Commission, computed in the
basis of the number of examinees or candidates.

SEC. 11. Supervision of the Board and Custodian of its Records. — The Commissioner
shall be the executive officer of the Board and shall conduct the examination given by the Board.
He shall designate any subordinate officer ofthe Commission to act as secretary and custodian of
all records including all examination papers and minutes of the deliberations of the Board.


ARTICLE
EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION

SEC. 12. Examination, Registration and Licensed Required. - Except as otherwise
specifically allowed under the provisions of this Act, all applicants for registration as
professional sanitarian shall be required to undergo a written examination which shall be at least
once a year in such places and on dates as the Board may determine upon approval by the
Commission. A valid certificate of registration and a valid professional license from the
Commission shall be required before any person is allowed to practice sanitation and hygiene in
the Philippines except as otherwise allowed under this Act.

SEC. 13. Examination Fees All applicants for written examination for registered
sanitary inspectors shall be subject to payment offees prescribed by the Commission.

SEC. 14. Scope of Examination. - The examination to be given to the applicants for
licensure shall include the Code of Sanitation and its implementing rules and regulations together
with topics on Arithmetic, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Bio-Statistics
and Epidemology, Food and Milk Sanitation, Household and Industrial Hygiene, Waste
Management, Environmental Health Planning, Pollution Assessment and Control, Occupational
Health, Practical Problems and Others determined by the Board.

SEC. 15. Qualification Requirements of Applicants. - No applicant shall be admitted to
take the examination unless, on the date of filing of the application, he shall have the established
to the satisfaction of the members of the Board that he possesses the following qualifications:

(@ A citizen of the Philippines or an alien whose country has reciprocity with the

Philippines in the practice of sanitation and hygiene;

(b) At least twenty (20) years of age;
(© In good health and good reputation with high moral values;

(@ Not finally convicted by final judgment by the court of any offense involving moral
turpitude; and

(© A holder of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Sanitation and Hygiene (BSSH)
from a university, college, school, academy or institution duly constituted, recognized
and accredited by the Philippine government. Towards this end, all government
universities and state colleges are encouraged to offer this course.

SEC. 16. Report of Results of Examination. - The Board shall, within one hundred
twenty (120) days after the examination, report the ratings obtained by each candidate to the
Commission.

SEC. 17. Re-examination. - An applicant, who for the third time fails to pass the
examination, shall not be allowed to take another examination, except upon showing to the
members of the Board a certificate of attendance of review classes and a certificate of attendance
of review classes and a certificate duly signed by the proctors that he obtained at least seventy
percent (70%) passing mark of all the review examinations.

SEC. 18. Oath. - All successful candidates in the examination shall be required to take a
professional oath before the Board.

SEC. 19. Issuance of Certificate of Registration and Professional Licenses. — The
registration as a sanitarian shall commence from the date his name is entered in the roll of
registrants or licenses for his profession.


‘A professional license signed by the Commission and bearing the registration number and
date of issuance and date of expiry shall be issued to every registrant who has paid the annual
registration fees for three (3) consecutive years. This license shall serve as evidence that the
license can lawfully practice his profession until the date of expiry.

SEC. 20. Foreign Reciprocity. - No foreign sanitarian professional shall be given a
certificate of registration/professional license and professional identification card or be entitled
to any of the privileges under this Act unless the country of which the foreign sanitarian
professional is a subject or citizen specifically permits Filipino sanitarian professionals to
practice within its territorial limits on the same basis as the subjects or citizens of said country ot
state.

SEC. 21. Continuing Professional Development. — All sanitarian professionals shall
abide by the requirements, rules, and regulation on continuing professional education to be
promulgated by the PRC Regulatory Board, subject to the approval of the Commission, in
coordination with the AIPO for sanitarian profession and the representative of duly accredited
education institutions. For this purpose, the Board may create a CPD Council to implement the
CPD program subject to the guidelines as may be issued by the

SEC. 22. Integration of Sanitary Profession. - The sanitarian profession shall be
integrated into one (1) national professional organization of sanitarian professionals which shall
be duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Board, subject to
approval by the Commission, shall accredit the said organization as the one and only Accredited
and Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) of registered sanitarian professionals. All
sanitarian professionals whose names appear in the Registry Book of Sanitarian Profession shall
ipso facto or automatically become members thereof and shall receive all the benefits and
privileges appurtenant thereto upon payment of AIPO membership fees and dues.

Membership in the Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) shall not be a
bar to membership in other organizations of sanitarian profession.

SEC. 23. Revocation of the Certificate of Registration, Suspension from the Practice of
the Sanitary Profession and Cancellation of Temporary or Special Permit.- The Board shall
have the power, upon proper notice and hearing, to suspend or revoke the certification of any
registrant, to reprimand or to cancel the temporary/special permit to a holder thereof who is
exempt from registration, for any of the following causes:

(a) Conviction for any criminal offense involving moral turpitude by any court of
competent authority;

(b) Immoral, unprofessional and dishonorable conduct;

(c) Violation of any of the provisions of this Act, rules and regulations and other policies
of the Board and the Code of Professional Ethics;

(d) Declaration by a court of competent authority for being mentally unsound or insane;

(©) Chronic inebriety or habitual use of drugs; and

(0) Malpractice of the profession.

The decision of the Board to revoke or suspend a certificate shall be final and executor
unless appealed by the respondent to the Commission within fifteen (15) days from the receipt of

such decision. The Board's or Commission's decision is appealable by the respondent to the
regional trial court of the place where the Board or Commission holds office within twenty (20)


BSemvauaune

12
13
14
15
16
7
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33

35
36
37
38
39

41
42
43

45
47
49
50
51
52
53

55

days from receipt of said decision or of the denial of the motion for reconsideration filed in due
time.

SEC. 24. Re-issuance of Revoked Certificates and Replacement of Lost Certificate. —
‘The Board, subject to the approval of the Commission, may after one (1) year after revocation of
the Certificate of Registration may re-issue such certificate on the same manner as application
for an original one. However, it may exempt the applicant from the necessity of undergoing an
examination.

‘A new certificate of registration may be issued to replace any certificate that has been lost
destroyed, mutilated, subject to the rules issued by the Board.

SEC. 25. Roster of Professional Sanitarians. - A roster of professional sanitarians
containing the names and addresses of the professional sanitarian, date of registration or issuance
of certificate and other date which in the opinion of the Board is pertinent shall be maintained.
Copies of the roster shall be provided by the Commission to the Board, the Department of
Education, and the integrated and accredited organization of professional sanitarians.

ARTICLE IV
PROVISIONS RELATIVE TO THE PRACTICE OF THE SANITARY PROFESSION

SEC. 26. Field of Practice.- The field of practice for sanitarian shall include the sole
authority to sign and seal sanitary plans, etc. and to practice sanitation and hygiene in its full
scope as defined in Article I of this Act.

SEC. 27. Prohibition Against the Practice of the Silnitarian and Hygiene Profession. -
Except as otherwise allowed under this Act, no person shall practice or offer to practice the
Sanitation and Hygiene Profession in the Philippines without having previously obtained a valid
certificate of registration and a valid professional license from the Commission.

SEC. 28. Personnel Required. - Except as otherwise provided in this Act, every
industrial plant or factory, commercial establishment or any government institution which shall
require the services of a sanitarian, a duly registered sanitarian shall be employed for the purpose
to ensure safe operation and safeguard public welfare, health and hygiene.

SEC. 29. Enforcement of the Act by Officers of the Law. - \t shall be the duty of all
constituted officers of the law of the national government, or any provincial, city or municipal
government to prosecute any person violating the provisions of this Act. The Secretary of Justice
or his assistant shall act as legal adviser of the Board and render such legal assistance as may be
necessary in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 30. Penalty Clause. - Any person who shall violate any provisions of this Act shall
be guilty of misdemeanor and shall upon conviction, be sentenced to a fine of not more than One
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00)
and/or imprisonment for a period of not less than thirty (30) days but not more than two (2) years
at the discretion of the court.

SEC. 31. Appropriations. - The sum of Ten Million Pesos (P10,000,000.00) is hereby
initially appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated to be
disbursed by the Chairman of the Board in accordance with provisions of this Act. Thereafter, it
shall be in the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 32. Implementing Guidelines. - The Board shall formulate and adopt the necessary
‘guidelines for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days
of its approval.


SEC. 33. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, and other regulations
pertaining to the examination for sanitarians are deemed repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 34. Separability Clause. - \f any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.

SEC. 35. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its full
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,