HRRAC,CATO: Restroom ordinance "anti-business"

CEBU, Philippines - The Hotel, Resorts and Restaurants Association of Cebu as well as the Cebu Association of Tour Operators are strongly opposed to the proposed ordinance in the Cebu City Council that compels all business establishments to open their comfort rooms for public use.

In their respective position papers submitted before the City Council, HRRAC and CATO described the proposed ordinance of Councilor Alvin Arcilla as “anti-business.”

HRRAC president Marco Protacio and CATO president Zenaida Chua agreed that the proposal is unacceptable.

Arcilla’s proposed ordinance seeks to fine business establishments that  will not open their comfort rooms to non-paying customers.

The proposal was prompted by complaints from people who could not use comfort rooms if they are non-paying customers.

Under the proposal, the “act of compelling an individual to ask from more than one personnel of the establishment for the key of the comfort room” is prohibited. It also prohibits the posting of a sign prohibiting non-paying customers from using the toilet.

Protacio and Chua argued that opening the doors of any establishment to non-transacting clients who wish to use their comfort rooms will lose the privacy and exclusivity of their customers. 

“Allowing the general public to come and go as they use the restrooms increase foot traffic and create more noise, an intrusion of the right to privacy, which customers pay for,” they said.

The association stressed that private enterprise should not be compromised especially their safety and security. They added that it becomes their responsibility to protect their clients and paying guests from danger and harm. 

Protacio and Chua also pointed out that allowing the general public to use their restrooms will increase the maintenance costs of their facilities. They instead urged the city government to provide restrooms for the public saying that it is the government’s responsibility to provide the needed public restrooms.

“We believe that this responsibility of providing adequate clean public restrooms should not be passed on to private business establishments through legislation,” they said. 

The Department of Tourism earlier expressed the same opposition. 

But despite the oppositions, the committee on laws, ordinances, public accountability and good government has considered the ordinance to be within the council’s power to regulate activities of structures within the jurisdiction of the city.

The council however deferred the final reading of the ordinance last Friday citing the needs further review and study. — (FREEMAN)