THE City Council passed an ordinance requiring the restaurants and food outlets to serve free potable service water to the customers in Iloilo city.
The “Free Potable Service Water Ordinance of Iloilo City” was proposed by Councilor Ely Estante Jr. to ensure the constituents and tourists will have access to free, safe and clean service water in establishments.
In the Philippine Constitution section 15 of 1987, it states that “the state shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.”
“The need for safe and clean water is a basic human right, every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water,” said in the ordinance.
Some food establishments only provide service water to customers if they asked for it while there are several who offers but the water came from illegitimate sources.
Other establishments only offer such necessity with a corresponding monetary value while others offer the “hulog piso-piso” or coin-operated water vending machines.
All of the restaurants and food outlets in the city are mandated to post a signage of “Free Service Water” inside the premises of the establishments and they must conduct a maintenance of water dispensers, water vending machines and water storage containers.
The City Health Office (CHO) was tasked for the inspection or conduct water sampling for the implementation of the ordinance.
Those establishments who failed to comply with the ordinance will be forwarded to CHO and City Legal Office for appropriate actions.
Customer’s complaints will also be referred to the respective office departments.
The establishments who will refuse to heed the summons sent by CHO will face cases on the courts. They will also initiate legal actions against the violators of the ordinance.
Violators will face the following sanctions: warning for the 1st offense; fine of P3,000 for the second offense and fine of 5,000 with suspension of business permit and closure until such time that offender will complies with the requirement for the third offense.