RULES AND REGULATIONS TO GOVERN THE ACCREDITATION OF TOURIST-RELATED
Order No. 120 “To Promulgate Rules and Regulations Governing the Operations and
Activities of all Persons, Firms, Entities and Establishments that Cater to
Tourists, to Provide Standard for Accreditation of Hotels, Resorts and to
Prescribe Rules and Regulations Governing the Issuance of License to Travel
Agencies, “and the provisions of Presidential Decree Nos. 259 and 1463 not
inconsistent with said Executive Order, the following rules and regulations are
hereby promulgated to govern the accreditation of motels, pensions, restaurants,
shops, department stores and associations.
Chapter I
Concepts and Definition of Terms
SECTION 1. Definition of Terms – When used in these Rules,
the following terms shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the
following meaning:
- Tourism-Related Establishment – Any establishment or
enterprise which is not licensed, nor directly supervised and regulated by the
Department of Tourism but which caters incidentally to both foreign and local
travelers and tourists. - Motorist Hotel (Motel) – Any structure with several
separate units, primarily located along the highway with individual or common
parking space, at which motorists may obtain lodging and in some instances,
meals. - Pension – A private, or family-operated tourist boarding
house, tourist guest house or tourist lodging house, employing non-professional
domestic helpers, regularly catering to tourists and/or travelers, containing
several independent lettable rooms, providing common facilities such as toilets,
bathrooms/showers, living and dining rooms and/or kitchen and where a
combination of board and lodging may be provided. - Restaurant – Any establishment offering to the public
refreshments and/or meals. - Department Store – A store that sells or carries several
lines of merchandise and that is organized into separate sections for the
purpose of promotion, service, accounting, and control. - Shop – A small retail establishment offering a specified
line of goods or services. - Association – An organization of persons/entities having
the subject and promotion of tourism as a common interest. - Hotel – Any lodging establishment as defined and classified
in the Hotel Code of 1987. - Department – The Department of Tourism.
- Accreditation – A certification issued by the Department
that the holder is recognized by the Department as having complied with its
minimum standards in the operation of the establishment concerned.
Chapter II
Basic Standard Requirements For Motels
SECTION 2. Minimum Basic Requirements – For the purpose of
accreditation, the following are the minimum basic requirements that must be
complied with by motels:
- Location – The motel, except those already existing, shall
be located along or close to the highways or major transportation routes. It
shall have at least ten (10) units. - Garage – The motel shall have an individual garage or a
common parking space for the vehicle of its guests. - Bedroom – Each unit shall be provided with a fully
air-conditioned bedroom, or at least, an electric fan and shall be furnished
with comfortable bed/s, clean pillows, linen and bed sheets. - Toilet and Bathroom – The unit shall be provided with
attached toilet and bathroom with cold and hot water, clean towels, tissue paper
and soap. - Telephone – There shall be a telephone or call-bell in each
unit. - Staff and Service – The motel staff shall be trained,
experienced, courteous and efficient. They shall wear clean uniform while on
duty. - Medical Service – Medical services on an emergency basis
shall be made available. - Fire-fighting Facilities – Adequate fire-fighting
facilities shall be provided for each separate unit/building, in accordance with
the Fire Code of the Philippines. - Lighting – Lighting arrangement and fixtures in all units
shall be adequate. - Housekeeping: Efficient housekeeping shall be maintained.
- Maintenance: Efficient maintenance of the motel in all its
sections (i.e. building ground, furniture, fixtures, public rooms,
air-conditioning, etc.) shall be provided on a continuing basis. - Other Facilities: The motel may, at its option, serve food
and drinks exclusively to its guests, and install such other special facilities
necessary for their business. - Signboard: All motels shall keep and display in a
conspicuous place outside the establishment a signboard showing clearly the name
or style of the motel.
SECTION 3. Registry – All motels shall keep a Motel
Registry Book. All guests seeking accommodation in the establishment shall be
required to register the following particulars in the Registry Book:
a. Full name
b.Address
c.Number, date and place of issue of Residence Certificate Class “A, or
Driver’s License, or Passport
The motel management is required to maintain a separate logbook of the plate
number of the vehicles or cars used by its customers or guests in coming to or
leaving the motels.
SECTION 4. Entry in the Motel Registration Book – The date
prescribed in the preceding section shall be entered forthwith by the guests, or
if unable to write, by the motel keeper or motel clerk.
SECTION 5. Minors to be Accompanied by Parent or Guardian
– No motel shall accept for lodging or accommodation any person below 18 years
of age unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
SECTION 6. Departure of Guests – On the departure of the
guests, the motel clerk shall record in the Registry Book the date and hour of
their departure.
SECTION 7. Room Rates – In addition to daily rates, motels
may likewise impose wash-up rates.
No guest who desires to be accommodated on a daily rate basis shall be
refused.
The rental rates shall be posted primarily at the reception counter and/or at
the door of each room.
Chapter III
Basic Standard Requirements for
Pensions
SECTION 8. Minimum Basic Requirements – For purposes of
accreditation, the following are the basic requirements for the establishment,
operation and maintenance of a pension.
- Size: A pension shall have at least five (5) lettable
rooms. - Bedrooms: The bedrooms shall be provided with sufficient
number of comfortable beds commensurate with the size of the room.Each room shall have adequate natural as well as artificial light and
ventilation. It shall be provided with at least an electric fan, writing table,
a closet, a water jug with glasses proportionate to the number of beds in the
room.Rooms shall be clean and presentable and reasonably furnished to depict the
true atmosphere of a Filipino home. - Common Toilet and Bathroom: The establishment shall provide
a toilet and bathroom to be used in common by the guests. There shall be at
least one (1) toilet and one (1) bathroom/ shower for every five (5) occupants
in all lettable rooms. - Linen: There shall be adequate supply of clean linen and
towels. Soap and tissue paper shall be provided at all times. - Living Room: There shall be a reasonably furnished lounge
or living room area commensurate to the size of the pension where guests may
receive visitors or watch TV or read. - Dining Room: The pension, shall have a dining room which
shall be available for the common use of its guests.
Chapter IV
Basic Standard Requirements For
Restaurants
SECTION 9. Minimum Basic Requirements – For the purpose of
accreditation, the following are the minimum basic requirements that must be
complied with by restaurants:
a. Location:
a.1. The locality and environs including approaches shall be pleasant and
provided with proper ingress and egress.a.2. The facade and architectural features of the building shall be
appropriately designed.b. Parking: There shall be an adequate, secured parking
space provided free to customers.c. Reception : A receptionist shall be available to usher in
guests. Awaiting lounge with a telephone shall also be provided.d. Dining Room:
d.1. Furnishing – The dining room shall be adequate in size, with sufficient
and well-maintained furniture. Flooring materials shall be kept clean at all
times.d.2. Atmosphere -The restaurant shall have a pleasant atmosphere.
d.3. Cuisine – There shall be cuisine of good quality and presentation which
may be of special interest to tourists available during normal meal hours and
served with distinction. Raw food used shall meet minimum government and
international standards of grading and quality.d.4. Menu Book/Card – There shall be a menu book or card which shall be
presentable, clean and easy to read with the menu items listed in logical
sequence. All items shall be made available at all times on a best-effort basis.d.5. Linen -All tables shall have clean table cloth and cloth napkins of good
quality. They should not be faded, nor with frayed edges and stains and should
be changed after every service.d.6. Crockery-No piece of crockery, cullery and tableware in use shall be
chipped, cracked or grazed. The silverware shall be kept polished and clean at
all times.e. Service and Staff: Adequate number of well-trained,
well-groomed, experienced, efficient and courteous staff shall be employed.f. Bar: The bar shall be well-stocked at all times.
g. Comfort Rooms: All comfort rooms shall be of good quality
fixtures and fittings and provided with running water. The floor and walls shall
be covered with impervious materials of good quality workmanship and shall be
kept clean and sanitary at all times. Tissue paper, soap, paper towels and/or
hand drier shall be provided.h. Kitchen
h. 1. The kitchen, pantry and cold storage shall be in good operating
condition at all times and shall be well-equipped and hygienic.h.2. Equipment necessary to maintain a high standard of sanitation and
hygiene shall be installed and used.i. Lighting: Adequate lighting arrangement and fixtures
shall be installed in the dining rooms, public rooms, comfort rooms, corridors
and the other public areas.j. Airconditioning/Ventilation: All main
dining or function rooms shall be fully airconditioned and/or well-ventilated.k. All sections of the restaurant (e.g., building, exterior,
interior, aircondition, kitchen, fixtures, plumbing, etc.) shall be maintained
properly at all times. A periodic vermin control program shall be maintained for
all establishments.l. Fire-fighting Facilities: Adequate fire-fighting
facilities shall be provided in accordance with the Fire Code of the
Philippines.
Chapter V
Basic Standard Requirements For
Shops/Department Stores
SECTION 10.; Minimum Basic Requirements – For the purpose
of accreditation, the following are minimum basic requirements that shall be
complied with by shops/department stores:
a. Physical Requirements –
a.1. The establishment shall be fronting a major street or thoroughfare or is
situated in a shopping center/mall.a.2. The entrance and display windows shall be attractively designed and
adequately illuminated.a.3. The furniture and decor of the establishment shall be presentable and
functional at all times.a.4. “The shop shall be fully- airconditioned.
a.5. Well-maintained restrooms shall be provided for by the establishment
itself, or in the event that the shop is located in a shopping mall or
commercial building, the common/public restrooms, shall be made available to the
clients or visitors.a.6 In case of department stores:
a. 6.1. The store shall be in an edifice or a building or maybe part of a
shopping mall/ center.a.6.2. Parking area shall be made available to clients.
a. 6.3. There shall be appropriate directional signs.
b. Staff
b.1. All members of the staff shall be well-groomed, courteous and efficient
at all times.c. Service
c.1. Goods displayed in the shop window or show cases shall be provided with
clearly written price tags.c.2. A wide selection of goods shall be in stock.
c.3. A receipt shall be supplied to the tourists for each purchase. The full
name and address of the establishment shall be printed on the receipt, together
with the number of the authorized business license. Purchase shall be itemized
together with the price, and any addition or tax paid or discount granted on the
goods shall be indicated.c.4. Discounts shall be given on the price of the goods marked on the price
tags.c.5. The business shall be responsible for the maintenance of its facilities
and premises and its immediate surroundings (sidewalk, yard, etc.)c.6. In case of antique shops, a certificate confirming authenticity shall be
attached to each article in accordance with the guidelines/instructions of the
National Museum.
Chapter VI
Basic Standard Requirements For
Associations
SECTION 11. Minimum Basic Requirements – For the purpose of
accreditation, the following are the minimum basic requirements that must be
complied with by an association:
a. All its members shall be duly licensed or accredited by the Department.
b. The Association shall be duly registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.c. There shall be a Code of Ethics already formulated by the applicant
governing the conduct of its members in their dealings with one another and the
conduct to be observed by the staff or employees towards each other and/or their
guests or clients; Provided, that, in case of conflict between any provision of
these Rules and said Code of Ethics, the former shall prevail.
Chapter VII
Application For Accreditation
SECTION 12. Filing of Application – Any person,
partnership, corporation or other entity desiring to secure an accreditation
from the Department shall accomplish in duplicate and file with the Department,
the application prescribed for such purpose.
SECTION 13. Supporting Documents to be Submitted with
Application – Unless otherwise indicated in the form, the application shall
be accompanied by two copies of the following documents:
a. In the case of corporation or partnership, a certified true copy of the
Articles of Incorporation, its by-laws, or Articles of Partnership and
amendments thereof, duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
and Business Name Certificate; in case of single proprietorship. Business Name
Certificate and amendments thereof, if any.b. Applicant’s latest income tax return and audited financial statements
sheets for the preceding year of its operation (not applicable for new
establishments).c. List of the names of all officials and employees and their respective
designations, nationalities, home addresses; for alien personnel — valid visa
from Commission on Immigration and Deportation and the proper permit from the
Department of Labor and Employment.
SECTION 14. Creation of Committee of Two Officials – After
the application form has been filed, the Department shall create an inspection
committee composed of two (2) members from the Department.
SECTION 15. Ocular Inspection of Establishment and its Immediate
Premises – Upon receipt of its mission order, the inspection committee
shall conduct an ocular inspection of the establishment and its Immediate
premises for the purpose of determining whether it meets the standards set by
the Department for the establishment.
SECTION 16. Checklist to be Accomplished during Ocular
Inspection of Establishment – The committee shall provide itself with a set
of checklist of the requirements for the establishment. All deficiencies found,
as well as the requirements complied with shall be noted in the checklist.
SECTION 17. All Observations of the Applicant shall be Entered
in the Checklist – Any observation of the applicant or his duly authorized
representative present at the time of the inspection on any adverse finding of
the committee shall be entered in the checklist. The applicant shall then be
furnished with a copy of the accomplished checklist.
SECTION 18. Report of the Committee -Within five (5) days
from the date of the inspection of the establishment and its immediate premises,
the committee shall render a report of its findings and/or recommendations.
SECTION 19. Issuance of Certificate of Accreditation – If
the applicant has satisfactorily complied with the minimum prescribed
requirements, the Department shall then issue the Certificate of Accreditation
in favor of the applicant.
SECTION 20. Validity of Certificate of Accreditation – The
Certificate of Accreditation shall be good and valid for a period of one (1)
year from the date of issue, unless sooner revoked or cancelled by the
Department.
SECTION 21. Accreditation Fees – An annual fee of Two
Hundred (P200.00) Pesos shall be collected from applicants that have complied
with the requirements for accreditation.
SECTION 22. Renewal of Accreditation – The accreditation
shall be renewed on or before its date of expiration.
SECTION 23. Documents Required for Application for Renewal of
Accreditation – The application for the renewal of accreditation shall be
supported by the following documents:
a. A copy of the amended or revised articles of incorporation or articles of
partnership and by-laws, if applicable;b. The list and information sheets of additional personnel, if any, including
any change in the manpower complement of the company; andc. Audited financial statements and income tax return covering the preceding
year’s operation; Provided, that if this requirement is not available at the
time of renewal, the same shall be submitted not later than April 30 of the
current year.
Chapter VIII
Supervision of Accredited Establishments
SECTION 24. Display of Certificate of Accreditation – The
certificate of accreditation shall be displayed in a conspicuous place of the
establishment.
SECTION 25. Non-Transferability of Certificate of
Accreditation – The Accreditation shall be non-transferable.
SECTION 26. Periodic Inspection – When necessary or when
public good dictates, the Department may send an inspection team to the
establishment for the purpose of finding out whether they are being kept and /or
managed in a manner conformable to the standards set by the Department. The
inspection shall be conducted at a reasonable time of the day with due regard
and respect accorded to the right to privacy of parties concerned.
SECTION 27. Dejects and Deficiencies Found During the
Inspection – Where certain defects and deficiencies have been found in the
courses of the inspection, the Department shall give direction to the keeper,
manager or operator to rectify the defects or deficiencies within a reasonable
period of time.
SECTION 28. Penalty for Failure to Remedy the Defects, etc.
– If the management fails to remedy the defects or deficiencies, the Department,
may revoke the Certificate of Accreditation of the establishment.
SECTION 29. Gambling and Disorderly Conduct – Keepers,
managers or operators shall exert all efforts not to allow gambling of any form,
drunkenness, or disorderly conduct of any kind by anyone in the establishment
and its immediate premises.
SECTION 30. Prostitution and Other Immoral/Illegal
Activities – Pension/Motel keepers, managers or operators shall exert all
possible efforts not to permit any person whom they know or have reason to
believe to be either a prostitute, a pedophile or a bad character to occupy a
room or to enter the premises. To accomplish this end, they shall immediately
report to the nearest police, station the presence of any such person in the
premises.
SECTION 31. Liability of Keepers /Managers for Acts or Omissions
of its Employees – Without prejudice to the provisions of existing laws,
keepers/managers and their assistants shall administratively be liable for the
acts or omissions of any member of the staff committed against any guest/tenant.
They may, however, be exempt from liability if they could establish that they
have exercised the diligence of a good father of the family in the supervision
of the erring employee.
Chapter IX
Miscellaneous Provisions
SECTION 32. Separability Clause – The provisions of these Rules are
hereby declared separable, and in the event that anyone or more of such
provisions are declared invalid, the validity of all other provisions shall not
be affected thereby.
SECTION 33. Repealing Clause – All existing Rules and
Regulations or Circulars issued by the defunct Board of Travel and Tourist
Industry or previously issued by the Department of Tourism on the operations of
tourism-related establishments subject of these Rules as well as local
ordinances which are inconsistent with the provisions of these Rules and
Regulations are hereby repealed and super- seded accordingly.
SECTION 34. Effectivity – These Rules and Regulations shall
take effect fifteen (15) days after their publication in the Official Gazette or
in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.
Adopted: 1 March 1989
Re-issued: 9 Jan. 1991