Date Filed: 13 July 2009

Part IV, Rule VII, Section 7 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 7916 provides that:

œThe PEZA, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment, shall conduct periodic inspection of plants within the ECOZONE to check on health, medical, occupational and safety standards of the buildings, structures and electro-mechanical equipment and machineries and the general conditions and maintenance of the plant. 

Moreover, PEZA is also committed to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) which was formulated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in order to safeguard the working individual in the Philippines against the dangers of injury, sickness or death through safe and healthful working conditions.

In implementing these rules, PEZA public economic zones shall issue sanitary permits to industrial enterprises and food service establishments subject to the attached guidelines.

For the compliance of all concerned.

Adopted: 09 July 2009

(SGD.) LILIA B. DE LIMA
Director General


Guidelines for the Issuance of Sanitary Permit

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people, the welfare of the workers and instill health consciousness among them;

WHEREAS, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards were formulated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to safeguard the working individual in the Philippines, against the dangers of injury, sickness or death through safe and healthful working conditions;

WHEREAS, Chapters III and VII of Presidential Decree 856, otherwise known as the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines, provide for the sanitary requirements for Food Establishments and Industrial Hygiene, respectively;

WHEREAS, under Section 7, Rule VII of the Rules and Regulations to Implement R.A. 7916, as amended, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) shall conduct periodic inspection at the facilities of the ecozone locator enterprises to check on health, medical, occupational and safety standards of the buildings, structures and electrical, mechanical equipment and machineries and the general conditions and maintenance of the plants;

WHEREAS, to ensure and safeguard the health of the workers in their workplace, PEZA has the authority to conduct inspections on the plants, buildings, facilities, structures and food establishments within the public ecozones, annually or as needed, and issue the corresponding sanitary permits to the entity concerned upon satisfactory finding or upon compliance of the requirements of PEZA;

NOW THEREFORE, PEZA shall adopt the following Guidelines for the issuance of Sanitary Permit for Industrial and Food Establishments within the public economic zones.

SECTION 1. Scope. All industrial and food service establishments within the public economic zones shall be covered by these guidelines.

SECTION 2. Issuing Authority. The industrial, food and service establishments concerned shall file their applications for inspection and for the issuance of the sanitary permit with the Fire and Industrial Safety Division (FISD) of the ecozone where they are located prior to their operation or every ____ day of January for existing establishments.

SECTION 3. Sanitary Permit for Industrial Establishments. Industrial establishments which include ecozone locators, and those entities with permit to locate shall comply with the following requirements:

1) Designate a Safety Officer who has fully complied with the requirements set forth in DOLE Department Order No. 16, S. 2001, Training and Accreditation of Personnel on Occupational Safety and Health.

2) Organize a Health and Safety Committee that shall adopt administrative policies on safety and health in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Standards.

3) Secure an Industrial Permit upon complying with the following requirements:

a. Adequate and suitable sanitary facilities, such as toilets, restrooms and mess halls, likewise, there should be available clean water supply and appropriate structures/facilities for the treatment and disposal of septic tank effluent;

b. All places of employment and all workrooms, including machinery and equipment, shall be kept clean and sanitary;

c. All physical, chemical and biological hazards present or with the potential to exist in the workplace are properly controlled or reduced, if not totally eliminated, through appropriate engineering, administrative and medical control measures;

d. Appropriate occupational health program, services and personnel depending on the nature of activity, are available in the workplace;

e. All mandated reports and requirements on occupational safety and health are submitted to the concerned government agency/ies;

f. Such other condition as may be necessary under Chapter VII of the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines and Occupational Safety and Health Standards;

g. Canteen/s operating within the facility/ies has been issued a Sanitary Permit for Food Service Area.

SECTION 4. Sanitary Permit for Food Service Area. No ecozone locator enterprise or canteen concessionaire shall operate a food service establishment within the facility/ies inside the ecozone without securing a sanitary permit from the FISD. The following requirements must be complied with for the issuance of sanitary permit;

a. Food service area meets the safety and structural requirements for floor, walls, ceiling, lighting, ventilation, vermin control and toilet and washing facilities.

b. Food utensils, including those used for preparation, are adequately washed, stored and protected against vermin and other sources of contamination;

c. Disposal of compostable materials and residual waste generated by the company canteen complies with the provisions of PEZA Memorandum Circular 2006-003 on Guidelines on Handling and Transport of Economic Zones ™ Solid Wastes dated 17 January 2006;

d. Each food handler has a valid health certificate issued by the local health authority and must wear clean working garments at all times;

e. Such other conditions as may be required under Chapter III of the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines.

Processing of the permit may be delegated to the canteen concessionaire through an official authority issued by the highest responsible official of the ecozone locator enterprise.

SECTION 5. Inspection of Industrial and Food Establishments. The Inspection Officer of FISD shall inspect every industrial and food establishment in the ecozones prior to its operation. Additional inspections and re-inspections and evaluation shall be conducted annually or as are necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of these guidelines.

The ecozone locator enterprise shall notify PEZA of any changes in ownership, location and size of food service area, or other conditions under which the permit was issued that would require the issuance of a new permit.

SECTION 6. Sanitary Permit Fee. The sanitary permit fees shall be set by the PEZA.

SECTION 7. Posting. The Sanitary Permit shall be posted in a conspicuous place of the establishment.

SECTION 8. Validity. The Sanitary Permit shall be secured annually and shall be valid until 31 December of each year unless earlier revoked for any violation against the prevailing sanitary requirements and/or rules and regulations of PEZA.

Application for renewal of Sanitary Permit shall be filed within thirty (30) days prior to the date of its expiration.

SECTION 9. Notice. Whenever an inspection or evaluation report indicates non-compliance with the guidelines, the Inspection Officer shall serve notice to the establishments concerned, requiring them within the time stated in the notice, to take such remedial action as may be specified therein.

SECTION 10. Penalties. Any violation of the provisions stated herein or of the prevailing laws, rules and regulations on sanitation and occupational safety and health which are being implemented in the economic zones shall be subject to penalties which may be imposed by PEZA.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. These guidelines shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation and shall remain in force unless repealed by the PEZA.