, ' 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'14 
JUL24 P4:01 
HE('EIVLii By."f'. 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2324 
--------------------------------------------------
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO KEEP OUR PUBLIC PLAYPENS SAFE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right 
to health of the people and instill health 
consciousness among them. 
Playpens are common nowadays III establishments who cater to 
families. It can be seen in malls, restaurants, and commercial centers and 
serves to attract families with children. In these facilities, children get to 
play, along with other children, with minimal supervision from their 
guardians. 
It is ironic that it is these playpens, which cater specifically to 
children, are the most seldom cleaned among the facilities in the 
establishments that operate them. Perhaps it is due to the level of difficulty 
in which they are cleaned that these playpens are likely to be neglected. The 
children who play in them have yet to understand the concept of hygiene and 
grasp the danger posed to them by sharing the playpens with sick children. It 
is precisely due to this reason that the children who use these facilities 
should be protected from diseases brought about by sick children. 
This bill seeks to establish safety and cleanliness standards for public 
playpens. 
1 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'14 JUL24 P4:()1 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2324 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
1 
2 
3 
AN ACT 
TO KEEP OUR PUBLIC PLAYPENS SAFE 
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SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as "Safe Public 
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Playpens Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the state 
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to ensure that all facilities for public use are clean, safe and disease-free. 
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SECTION 3. Definition. - The term "playpen" includes any facility 
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offered to the public where children may play, whether free or for a fee; 
IO 
SECTION 4. Playpen Safety and Cleanliness Program. -
The 
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Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with. the Department of 
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Interior and Local Government (DILG), shall establish a program that shall: 
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1. Provide for a regular inspection of all the playpens by local health 
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inspectors, which shall not be less frequent than once every year; 
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2. Formulate standards for safety and cleanliness for all playpens; 
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3. Establish 
a 
national 
information 
campaign, 
educating 
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entrepreneurs and playpen owners about methods of maintaining 
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the safety and cleanliness of the playpens. 
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SECTION 5. Mandatory Inspection Requirement. - No playpen shall 
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be open to the public unless it has been inspected for the period as provided 
21 
for in the program under Section 4 of this Act. Upon inspection, the local 
I 


public health officer shall issue a certification that the playpen is safe for 
2 
public use. Such celiification shall expire no later than one year after the 
3 
same is issued. 
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SECTION 6. Outbreak. - Should the DOH declare an outbreak of a 
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communicable disease in a local government, all public playpens in the said 
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area shall be closed to the public. Upon declaration that the outbreak has 
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been lifted, the local inspectors shall inspect all the public playpens in the 
8 
area affected and shall issue a new certification to those who comply with 
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the standards. 
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SECTION 7. Best Practices. -
The DOH, upon consultation with the 
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private sector, shall compile a manual of best practices in ensuring the safety 
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of public playpens. DOH shall establish a network of public playpen 
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operators and service providers for the cleanliness, maintenance, and safety 
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of public playpens. 
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SECTION 8. Penalty. - Any person, partnership or corporation who 
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operates a public playpen without a valid certification shall be fined a fee of 
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ten thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00) for every month of operation. This 
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penalty shall be independent of other administrative, civil or criminal 
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liabilities arising from injuries sustained andlor diseases contracted from the 
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use of the public playpen. 
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SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or 
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issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or 
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regulation contrary to or inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed, 
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modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
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(15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
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circulation. 
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Adopted, 
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