Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 7920

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Infants are humans and they have needs just as regular adults do. These needs must be
recognized, just as the needs of adults are into consideration. In the same way that facilities are
made available for adults in establishments, there also must be specific facilities for infants. This
include children and infant friendly seating and diaper changing stations.

While some parents have the liberty to leave their children home at the care of their spouses,
relatives or baby-sitters, some parents do not. Presently, parents go through a lot of difficulty
when they bring their child to work or to establishments such as malls, shopping centers, sports
arenas and the like due to inadequate facilities for infants and children.

This proposed measure requires government offices and establishments to provide for child-
friendly seating and safe and sanitary diaper-changing stations to make public spaces more
accessible to parents with children. This should also alleviate some of the burden parents go
through when they bring their child with them to work or to do necessary errands.

On behalf of the people of Parafiaque City's Second District, and for the common good of the
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought.

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YRA ! ft
298 District, Parafiaque City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7920

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT
REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF INFANT-FRIENDLY FACILITIES IN GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Infant-Friendly Facilities Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes that all Filipinos are entitled to
access to convenient facilities that will enable them to properly undertake their childcare
responsibilities. Towards this end, this State shall ensure that these facilities are sanitary, safe
and readily available and accessible for all persons, and shall specialized seating for infants and
children.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - The following terms shall be used in this Act:

a) Common Seating shall refer to the actual number of seats available for customers of a

Particular food service establishment;

Child-Friendly Seating shall refer to high chairs or any seating apparatus that will allow

infants or children to be seated at tables or counters at an elevated distance from the

ground;

©) Early-stage child shall mean any child of any age whose size and developmental stage

allows placement in child-friendly seating equipment;

Diaper-changing station shall mean an area where a person can change the diapers of a

child, The station shall accommodate at least a 20-pound child and shall have a trash bin

for the disposal of diapers. It shall also have hand washing facilities in good working
condition;

) Food Service Establishment shall mean any privately owned facility business, firm or
enterprise that is primarily oriented towards the provision of food and related services.
These include restaurants, eateries or other facilities that are contained within malls or
other larger structures, as well as those establishments that have their own independent
infrastructure. This does not apply to food service establishments that do not allow
persons under 18 years of age to enter the premises;

b)

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f) Major establishments shall include malls, shopping centers, theaters, movie houses,
convention centers, sports arenas, auditoriums, cultural complexes, exhibition halls,
permanent amusement parks, health facilities, restaurants that can seat 50 people or
more, gasoline stations that have restrooms that are open to the public, and
establishments measuring 25,000 feet or more, excluding industrial buildings and
nightclubs or bars that do not permit anyone who is under 18 years of age to enter the
premises, among others;

Government offices shall mean all local and national government offices, agencies, and
government owned and controlled corporations; and

hh) Patrons refer to any individual or group that avails of any of the offered food, as well as

the services of the food service establishment.

9.

I, ACCESS TO CHILD FRIENDLY SEATING

SECTION 4. Provision of Child-Friendly Seating. — Food service establishments are required
to have, at all times, child-friendly seating equipment for patrons that have at least one (1) early-
stage child present with them at the time that they procure the food or the services of the
establishment.

SECTION 5. Proportion of Child-Friendly Seating to Common Seating. — Food service
establishments shall have at least one (1) child-friendly seat for every ten (1 0) common seats
available.

TI. ACCESS TO DIAPER-CHANGING STATIONS FOR MEN'S AND WOMEN'S
RESTROOMS

SECTION 6. General. - All major establishments and government offices shall be have at least
one (1) safe, sanitary, and convenient baby diaper-changing station that is accessible to
restrooms used exclusively by women and restrooms used exclusively by men, or at least one
safe, sanitary, and convenient baby diaper-changing station that is accessible to both men and
women; Provided, That a diaper-changing station shall be available in each floor occupied by the
major establishment and the government office.

SECTION 7. Exceptions. - Section 6 of this Act shall not apply to a restaurant with a seating
capacity of at least 50 people, if there is a centrally located facility with a baby diaper-changing
station located within 300 feet of the entrance to the restaurant.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health (DOH) and other relevant stakeholders shall
promulgate the implementing rules and regulations for the proper implementation of this Act.

SECTION 9. Transition Period. — All covered establishments existing at the time of the
approval of this Act and government offices shall have a period of one year from the effectivity
of this Act to comply with the provisions hereof.

SECTION 10. Penalties. — A major establishment or food service establishment that fails to
comply with any provisions of this Act shall be liable for a fine of Two Thousand Pesos
(Php2,000.00) for every day of violation.


SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,