Need for more clean public comfort rooms underscored

Despite the tourism boom, the country’s travel hubs and public transport terminals still lack clean public restrooms.

A House of Representatives inspection team headed by Malabon City Rep. Federico Sandoval made this observation following an ocular inspection conducted in various public transport stations in various parts of the country.

The finding has prompted the Lower House to adopt House Resolution (HR) 1418 calling on the Department of Tourism to construct and maintain hygienic public restrooms within the eastern and western nautical highways in the Philippines.

Authored by Sandoval, HR 1418 contains an appeal for the DOT, through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to allocate funds to ensure clean and wellmaintained restroom facilities to travelers.

Sandoval said toilet facilities have become necessary as the country has started to experience strong tourism appeal in Asia region.

Earlier, the Lower House passed on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 725 seeking to penalize bus and other public transport companies that impose fees for the use of restrooms in their terminals and stations.

Authored by the late Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog, HB 725 imposes stiff fines against erring bus companies that take advantage of their passengers.

In defending his bill, Dalog noted that even the country’s leading transport companies are guilty of exploiting their passengers.

Dalog was the chairman of the House Special Committee on Northern Luzon Development.

In filing the bill, Dalog had decried a number of bus companies for taking advantage of their passengers by charging toilet fees in their terminals and other stops on the pretext of using the money collected to maintain cleanliness and ensure running water in restrooms.

He insisted that contrary to the claim of several bus firms, it is the right of passengers to have access to clean and sanitary restroom facilities.

The bill declares that the right of every establishment to a fair return of investment carries with it a corresponding social responsibility to provide adequate facilities for the comfort of its clientele.

“Towards this end, the State shall require the owners, operators and administrators of land transport terminals, stations, stops and rest areas to provide and maintain suitable and clean sanitary facilities, free of charge to passengers and travelers,” author of the measure said.