SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
S.B. No. 
2612 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
r , i," 1 \' 
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AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE SUSTAINABLE SANITATION PROGRAM OF THE 
COUNTRY BY REORGANIZING THE SANITATION UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
HEALTH AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
One out of every five Filipino households does not have access to sanitary toilet 
system. Recent data from United Nation Children's Fund show that 28% of the 
population is subjected to indignities of having to defecate in the open, in plastic bags or 
buckets disposed on rivers and garbage bins. This causes undue to our fellow Filipino 
and hits right at the core of their beings. Sanitation as a human right goes deep and 
touches on the basic dignity of every person. 
The large number of those without access to proper toilet facilities is alarming 
considering that health and well-being are closely connected to sanitation. The 
prevalence of sanitation-related disease, such as cholera and amoebiasis, is an 
indication not only of unhygienic conditions our people are exposed to daily, but of the 
extent of poverty faced by majority of Filipinos. In fact, diarrhea is one of the leading 
causes of morbidity in the Philippines. 
For many years, vital reforms on the delivery of health and sanitation services 
have been pushed at back-burned. The small health budget has lead to limit access of 
health services. Instead of sustained and concrete programs, the health sector resorts 
to short-term expedient solutions to decades-old health and sanitation concerns. Little 
importance is given to sanitation despite the passage of the Clean Water Act of 2004 
and the rising incidence of water-borne diseases outbreaks. The continued disregard of 
the importance of sustainable sanitation is also reflected on the high morbidity rate 
especially of children and pregnant women. 


Sustainable sanitation does not end with the availability of a toilet facility inside 
the house, it extends to complete community-wide sanitation systems designed to 
properly treat and dispose waste. It involves a comprehensive review and 
implementation of the national sanitation program taking into consideration the practices 
and standards applicable to our country. 
This bill seeks to promote sustainable sanitation by strengthening and expanding 
the services of the Sanitation Unit of the Department of Health, and by amending 
Section 3 and 103 of Presidential Decree 856 also known as the Sanitation Code. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
ON~LA'JR. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
";') 
ITO -2 ['5:36 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 
2612 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE SUSTAINABLE SANITATION PROGRAM OF THE 
COUNTRY BY REORGANIZING THE SANITATION UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
HEALTH AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "National Sustainable 
2 
Sanitation Act of 2015" 
3 
4 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. The state shall pursue a policy on sustainable 
5 
sanitation to protect public health and human developments as fundamental human 
6 
rights. As such, it shall be the guided by the following policy statements: 
7 
8 
1. Sanitation is both a social and economic good. It is essential for basic health and 
9 
dignity of the person. 
10 
2. Sanitation policies, plans and programs must be localized and its management 
11 
decentralized at the lowest level possible. 
12 
3. Sanitation is a responsibility of all citizens. Different stakeholders must be 
13 
involved in promoting good sanitation and hygiene practices. 
14 
4. Sanitation must be financially sustainable, economically affordable, SOCially and 
15 
culturally accepted. 
16 
5. Good sanitation contributes to environmental sustainability and penalized 
17 
polluters 
18 
6. Sanitation services must be responsive and shall include capacity development 
19 
for consideration of appropriate technologies and financing and management 
20 
options at various levels. 
21 
7. Proper resource conservation, re-use, recycle and recovery of sanitation by-
22 
products will be considered. 
23 
8. Access to sanitation should be equitable and sensitive to gender differences. 
24 
9. Efficient water governance includes sanitation. 
1 


1 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
2 
3 
1. 
Ecological Sanitation- refers to a system that separates urine and feces and 
4 
provides for the safe recycling of excreta resources (plant nutrients and organic 
5 
matter) to crop production in such a way that the use of non-renewable resources 
6 
is minimized. 
7 
8 
2. 
Excreta- refer to both human feces and urine. 
9 
10 
11 
3. 
Sanitation- refers to a wide range of services and arrangements pertaining to 
12 
the hygienic and proper management of human excreta and community liquid 
13 
wastes to safeguard the health of individuals and communities. This is usually 
14 
concerned with preventing diseases by hindering pathogens or disease-causing 
15 
organisms found in excreta and wastewater from entering the environment and 
16 
coming into contact with people and communities. This also involves the 
17 
construction of adequate collection and disposal/reuse facilities and the 
18 
promotion of proper hygiene behaviour so that facilities are effectively used at all 
19 
times. 
20 
21 
4. 
Septage- means the sludge produced on individual onsite wastewater disposal 
22 
systems, principally septic tanks and cesspools. 
23 
24 
5. 
Sewage- means water-borne human or animal waste excluding oil or oil wastes 
25 
removed from residences, building, and institutions, industrial and commercial 
26 
establishments. 
27 
28 
6. 
Sewerage- refers to any system or network of pipelines, ditches, channels or 
29 
conduits including pumping stations, lift sanitations and force mains, service 
30 
connections including other contractions, devices and appliances appurtenant 
31 
thereof, which includes the collection, transport, pumping and treatment of 
32 
sewage to a point of disposal. 
33 
34 
7. 
Sludge- means any solid, semi-solid or liquid waste or residue generated from a 
35 
wastewater treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or water control 
36 
pollution facility, or any other such water having similar characteristics and 
37 
effects. 
38 
2 


8. 
Sustainable Sanitation System- a system that protects and promotes human 
2 
health, minimizes environmental degradation and the depletion of the resource 
3 
base. It is technically and institutionally appropriate, while maintaining social 
4 
acceptability and economic viability in long term. 
S 
6 
9. 
Treatment - means any method, techniques, or process designed to alter the 
7 
physical, chemical or biological and radiological character or composition of any 
8 
waste or wastewater to reduce or prevent pollution. 
9 
10 
10. Universal Coverage- one hundred percent (100%) of total households have 
11 
their own sanitary toilet facilities. 
12 
13 
11. Zero Open Defecation- refers to the state of no defecation in open public 
14 
places. A community is said to have zero open defecation when 100% of its 
15 
households have their own sanitary toilets. 
16 
17 
SECTION 4. The Strengthening of the Sanitation Unit. For purposes of carrying out 
18 
the declared policy in Section 2, it is hereby established that the present Sanitation Unit, 
19 
hereinafter called the Unit, under the Department of Health be strengthened through 
20 
additional support services and appropriates funds as per recommendation of the 
21 
Department of Health. It shall be an autonomous unit directly under the Office of the 
22 
Health Secretary. 
23 
24 
The Unit shall be headed by an Administrator who is a sanitation engineer, or equivalent 
25 
qualification, with at least five (5) years distinguished service and experience in any of 
26 
the following fields: waterworks, sanitation management, and health. The administrator 
27 
shall receive compensation, benefits, privileges and other emoluments equivalent to an 
28 
Undersecretary of the Department Of Health. 
29 
30 
SECTION 5. Objectives of the Unit. The unit shall have the following objectives: 
31 
32 
1. 
To establish the policy guidelines for the implementation of sustainable sanitation 
33 
including regulatory and institutional arrangements; 
34 
2. 
To promote rapid expansion of sanitation coverage throughout the Philippines in 
35 
partnership with different stakeholders; and 
36 
3. 
To set national targets and directions that will guide national and local plans and 
37 
programs on sustainable sanitation. 
38 
3 


I 
SECTION 6. 
Powers and Functions of the Unit. The Unit shall oversee the 
2 
preparation and implementation of local sustainable sanitation management plans and 
3 
prescribe policies to achieve the objectives of this Act. The unit shall undertake the 
4 
following activities: 
5 
6 
1. 
Prepare and regularly update the National Sustainable Sanitation Management 
7 
Framework; 
8 
2. 
Lead inter-agency implementation of the National Sustainable Sanitation 
9 
Program; 
10 
3. 
Develop and implement a program to provide technical and other capability 
I I 
building assistance and support to local government units in the development 
12 
and implementation of local sustainable sanitation plans; 
13 
4. 
Review and monitor national agency and local government sustainable sanitation 
14 
plans in accordance with its rules and regulations; 
15 
5. 
Develop and implement a national pro-poor sanitation program that will target to 
16 
achieve zero open defecation nationwide and one hundred percent sanitation 
17 
coverage of all households by 2016; 
18 
6. 
Establishand manage the Sanitation Program Fund of the DOH; 
19 
7. 
Monitor and regularly report to the public, through the DOH, the national account 
20 
for sanitation; 
21 
8. 
Formulate the necessary education promotion, information campaign and social 
22 
marketing strategies; 
23 
9. 
Spearhead the research and development of the knowledge and skills on 
24 
technology, management and financing options for sustaining sanitation; 
25 
10. Encourage community participation and other partnership modalities in the 
26 
different areas of sustainable sanitation service delivery chain; 
27 
11. Propose and adopt policy, standards, regulations and guidelines relative to the 
28 
implementation of this Act and other related laws; 
29 
12. Promote knowledge, standards, skills and proper hygiene behaviour for 
30 
appropriate and sustainable solutions ion school and in emergency situations; 
31 
13. Develop a program for the development, training and professionalization of 
32 
sanitary inspectors in partnership with their national organization; and 
33 
14. Facilitate the organization, registration and regulation of Sanitation Service 
34 
providers. 
35 
36 
SECTION 7. Role of the Department of Interior and Local Government. The 
37 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall formulated its own 
38 
sustainable sanitation strategy that will ensure that the capacity all of LGUs capacity 
4 


1 
are enhance. Further, the DILG shall assist in developing and updating the local 
2 
sustainable sanitation plans, and in the regular inclusion of sustainable sanitation in the 
3 
LGUs annual investment and development plans. It will also spare head the over-all 
4 
sector monitoring and assessments and maintenance of a database. 
5 
6 
SECTION 8. Role of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The 
7 
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall implement the National 
8 
Sewerage and Septage Management Plan (NSSMP) for highly urbanizing cities as 
9 
provided for in the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004. It shall ensure that the 
10 
implementation of the NSSMP is in partnership with the LGUs. It will also develop its 
11 
own sustainable sanitation strategy that will ensure proper installation of adequate and 
12 
sustainable toilet and hand washing facilities for men, women and disabled persons of 
13 
the public and employees in all government buildings. 
14 
15 
SECTION 9. Role ofthe Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board and its attached 
16 
agencies such as the National Housing Authority and the Housing and Urban 
17 
Development Coordinating Council. The HLURB, NHA and HUDCC shall develop its 
18 
own sustainable sanitation plans consistent with this Act that will: 
a) ensure that 
19 
appropriate sustainable sanitation systems are adequately provided for in all its housing 
20 
projects and b) identify their agency targets and budgets for sanitation. 
21 
22 
SECTION 10. Role of the Local Water Utilities Administration. The Local Water 
23 
Utilities Authority (LWUA) shall develop its sustainable sanitation strategy and action 
24 
plan aimed to assist water utilities (nor limited to water districts) who will implement 
25 
sustainable sanitation initiatives. It will also ensure that at least five percent (5%) of its 
26 
total loan products are allocated for sanitation, sewerage and septage management 
27 
projects. As much as possible, it will also provide access to innovative financing 
28 
schemes and capacity development of the water districts. 
29 
30 
SECTION 11. Role of the National Water Resources Board. The National Water 
31 
Resources (NWRB), as the main economic regulator of the water sector provided for in 
32 
the Water Code shall be the economic regulator for sewerage and septage 
33 
management. The sanitation economic regulatory guidelines shall be developed by the 
34 
NWRB and it should cover the following tasks: 
35 
36 
1. Promotion of operating efficiency and performance indicators; 
37 
2. Service standard specification and monitoring; 
38 
3. Ensure asset serviceability over time; 
5 


1 
4. Promotion of water use efficiency; 
2 
5. Safety net regulations; and 
3 
6. Customer service responsiveness. 
4 
5 
In special areas where there is a different economic regulator for the water service 
6 
provider (such as those regulated by contract), the regulator assumes responsibility 
7 
for sanitation and sewerage regulation. Their regulatory guidelines should be 
8 
consistent with the national economic regulatory guidelines for sanitation that will be 
9 
developed by the NWRB. In such cases, the NWRB shall serve as the appellate 
10 
body for complaints between the service provider and the consumers. 
11 
12 
SECTION 12. Role of the Municipality/City Local Government Units. The local 
13 
government units (LGUs) are mandated to ensure that basic sanitation services are 
14 
provided to their constituents. Consistent with the provisions of the local government 
15 
code, it is hereby mandated that: 
16 
1. Sanitation Unit in each city or municipality be established. The Sanitation Unit will 
17 
be under the local health departments to be headed by a Sanitation Engineer or 
18 
its equivalent. This unit shall be composed of the head and a term of sanitary 
19 
inspectors. 
This 
unit shall 
be 
responsible 
for the 
development 
and 
20 
implementation of the local sustainable plans and programs and shall 
21 
recommend local legislation as deemed necessary. 
22 
2. LGUs shall develop their local sustainable sanitation plans that respond to their 
23 
local situation and priority needs and furnish the Unit a copy of plan for 
24 
monitoring and technical assistance. 
25 
3. LGUs shall work with different stakeholders and service providers such as Water 
26 
Districts, small private entrepreneurs and community-based associations to 
27 
develop the plan and ensure its implementation and enforcement of the national 
28 
policies. 
29 
4. LGUs shall develop local policies and ordinances which define its strategies and 
30 
provide penalties and fines for violations for open defecation and for other 
31 
unsanitary behaviours that effect public health. 
32 
5. LGUs shall allocate at least 10% of their development funds for implement of 
33 
sanitation, the amount of which shall be regularly reported and accounted for 
34 
separately. The sanitary fees levied by the LGUs shall be solely allocated for 
35 
sanitation related projects. 
36 
6. LGUs shall develop programs and incentive schemes to achieve universal 
37 
coverage of their total household population having their own sanitary toilet 
38 
facilities within a reasonable time frame as indicated in their sustainable 
6 


sanitation plan. 
2 
7. LGUs shall also ensure the provision, operation and maintenance of adequate 
3 
sanitary toilet facilities for men and women in public places such as public 
4 
markets, bus terminals, public parks, public basketball courts/gymnasiums. They 
5 
shall also ensure adequate operation and maintenance of public school 
6 
build ings. 
7 
8. LGUs shall work with communities and households to create demand for 
8 
sanitation improvement through health and hygiene awareness programs. 
9 
10 
SECTION 13. Role of Provincial LGUs. The Provincial LGUs will assist the Municipal 
11 
and City LGUs by: 
12 
13 
1. Ensuring compliance with the national policy, norms and standards; 
14 
2. Developing provincial legislation, norms and standards; 
15 
3. Monitoring progress of the LGUs in meeting their targets; 
16 
4. Allocating a portion of their IRA to provide for counterpart support financing to 
17 
municipal/city LGUs;and 
18 
5. Providing for the establishment, operation and maintenance of at least one 
19 
septage treatment facility for the province. 
20 
21 
SECTION 14. Role of the Department of Education. The Department of Education 
22 
(DepEd) shall ensure that all schools have adequate number of sustainable sanitary 
23 
toilet facilities for the students. No school building is considered complete without proper 
24 
toilet facilities. The DepEd shall immediately address the access gaps by giving priority 
25 
to schools that maybe used as evacuation centers. All of these information shall be 
26 
identified in their sustainable sanitation action plan which should indicate their targets, 
27 
plans and budgets within a given timeframe. 
28 
29 
SECTION 15. Role of the Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health. The 
30 
Inter-Agency Committee on Environment Health (IACEH) shall be a high level inter-
31 
agency platform to ensure coordination and monitoring of agency performance. They 
32 
will address emerging bottlenecks that constrain achievement of universal coverage. 
33 
34 
SECTION 16. Role of the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance will 
35 
take responsibility for ensuring equitable and practical funding and financing 
36 
arrangements that will enable the provincial and municipal LGUs to finance their 
37 
sanitation plans and programs. 
38 
7 


1 
SECTION 17. Role of Civil Society. Non-government organizations and community-
2 
based organizations can include but are not limited to health and hygiene awareness 
3 
promotion and education; training and capacity development; facilitating community 
4 
participation; 
implementing 
community-based 
sanitation 
improvement 
projects; 
5 
monitoring plan implantation; and piloting demonstration projects. 
6 
7 
SECTION 18. Individual Excreta and Sewage Disposal System. All households and 
8 
buildings have an excreta and sewage disposal system as approved by the local 
9 
Sanitation Inspector and provided for in Section 19. 
10 
11 
SECTION 19. Sewerage and Sewage Treatment System. All households and 
12 
buildings shall covered by the system which shall be connected to the sewer. 
13 
14 
SECTION 20. Approval of the Department. The approval of the DPWH shall be 
15 
required in the following matters: 
16 
17 
1. The construction of any approved type of individual excreta and sewage disposal 
18 
system. 
19 
2. Plans, designs, and specifications of individual excreta and sewage disposal 
20 
system. 
21 
3. Plans, designs, and specifications of sewerage and sewage treatment system. 
22 
4. Methods of disposal of sludge and/or septage from excreta or sewage disposal 
23 
treatment facilities. 
24 
25 
SECTION 21. Achieving Universal Sanitation Coverage. The Unit, in coordination 
26 
with IACEH and the LGUs, shall spearhead a sustainable sanitation campaign aimed at 
27 
achieving universal sanitation coverage in the country that will: 
28 
29 
1. Raise awareness and cultivate demand for improved sanitation at LGUs level; 
30 
2. Achieve zero open defecation in all barangays in the country by 2016; 
31 
3. Ensure that all household will have their own sanitary toilet facility; 
32 
4. Ensure that LGUs provide a support system for disposing human excreta, 
33 
household wastewater and refuse which is acceptable to users, safe, hygienic, 
34 
easily accessible and which does not have an unacceptable impact on the 
35 
environment; and 
36 
5. Trigger LGUs to develop their sustainable sanitation plans and programs and 
37 
allocate resources for its implementation. 
38 
8 


1 
SECTION 
22. The National Sustainable Sanitation Plan. The DOH thru the 
2 
Sanitation Unit shall prepare a five-year (5) National Sustainable Sanitation Plan 
3 
consistent with the Sustainable Sanitation Framework within one (1) from the approval 
4 
of this Act. 
5 
6 
SECTION 23. The Local Sustainable Sanitation Plan. The Local Government Units 
7 
shall prepare its respective five-year (5) Sustainable Sanitation Plan consistent with the 
8 
Sustainable Sanitation Framework within one (1) from the approval of this Act. 
9 
10 
SECTION 24. 
Amendatory and Repealing Clause. 
The following sections of 
11 
Presidential Decree 856 also known as "Sanitation Code" is hereby amended to read as 
12 
follows: 
13 
14 
Section 3. Functions of the Department of Health. The Department 
15 
shall have the following powers and functions: 
16 
(a) Undertake the promotion and preservation of the health of the 
17 
people and raise the health standards of individuals and 
18 
communities throughout the Philippines; 
19 
XXX 
20 
(i) TAKE A LEAD ROLE IN SANITATION GOVERNANCE BY 
21 
PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, SETTING STANDARDS 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
AND 
POLICY 
GUIDELINES, 
AND 
THE 
CONDUCT 
OF 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND MONITORING OF 
PLANS AND PROGRAMS. 
Section 103. Penal Provision 
(a) Unless otherwise provided in any chapter or section in this 
Code, any person who shall violate, disobey, refuse, omit or neglect 
to comply with any of the rules and regulations promulgated under 
this Code shall be guilty of misdemeanor and upon conviction shall 
be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding [six 
months or by a fine of not exceeding one thousand pesos] FOUR 
(4) YEARS AND A FINE NOT LESS THAN FIFTY THOUSAND 
PESOS (Php50,OOO.OO) AND NOT MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED 
9 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
THOUSAND PESOS (Php100,OOO.OO) PER DAY FOR EACH DAY 
OF VIOLATION depending upon the discretion of the court. 
(b) Any person who shall interfere with or hinder, or oppose any 
officer, agent or member of the Department or of the bureaus and 
offices under it, in the performance of his duty as such under this 
Code, or shall tear down, mutilate, deface or alter any placard, or 
notice, affixed to the premises in the enforcement of the Code, shall 
be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable upon conviction by 
imprisonment for a period not exceeding [six months or by a fine of 
not exceeding one thousand pesos or both 1 FOUR (4) YEARS 
AND A FINE NOT LESS THAN FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS 
(Php50,OOO.OO) AND NOT MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED 
THOUSAND PESOS (Php100,OOO.OO) PER DAY FOR EACH DAY 
OF VIOLATION depending upon the discretion of the Court. 
16 
SECTION 25 Appropriations. The Department shall allocate an initial Php60Million for 
17 
the launching of the NSSP nationwide and jump-start sustainable sanitation in high-risk 
18 
areas as recommended by the Provincial Health Units in every region. The National 
19 
Sanitation Unit shall have an allocation of at least Php30 Million thereafter. First, second 
20 
and third municipalities and cities shall provide funding for the implementation of their 
21 
local sanitation programs. Fourth and fifth class municipalities shall receive counterpart 
22 
assistance from DOH, DENR and DPWH for the implementation of their sanitation 
23 
programs. 
24 
SECTION 26. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any section or provision of this 
25 
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such other sections or provisions not affected 
26 
thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
27 
SECTION 27 Repealing Clause. Any laws, decrees, or rules and regulations which are 
28 
inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby amended or 
29 
repealed. 
30 
31 
SECTION 28. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at 
32 
least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
10