Bidets in public, private establishments pressed
QUEZON City 5th District Rep. PM Vargas has campaigned for public health and well-being by promoting the installation of bidets in all public and private establishments in the country to promote Filipinos’ right to clean water and sanitation and in observance of World Toilet Day.
Filing House Bill (HB) No. 8959 or the ‘Bidet in Every Public Toilet Act’, Vargas, a stalwart of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), explained, “Quality restrooms with bidets are more than just basic amenity; they are a symbol of society’s progress and commitment to ensuring the well-being of its citizens”.
The proposed measure seeks every city and municipality’s commercial establishments and public buildings to install bidets in its restrooms, which the legislator believes can provide benefits including reduced toilet paper cost, lesser environmental impact, and overall increased customer satisfaction, particularly for business establishments in areas with high foot traffic.
“We can only accelerate change if we make drastic changes in the current system. Putting comfort in comfort rooms is a public service Filipinos deserve as culturally, we use water and soap instead of tissue paper in restrooms and providing adequate sanitation is a significant stride towards cleaner, healthier, and dignified citizenry”, said Vargas.
When passed into law, the bill will complement the enacted Republic Act (RA) No. 11311 directing all land and roll-on/off transport terminals and stations to establish sanitary facilities.
The lawmaker also refiled relevant bills tackling sanitation crisis and water supply issues by the former Rep. Alfred Vargas, such as HB 2523 or the “Department of Water, Irrigation, Sewage, and Sanitation Resource, Management Act”, HB 5897 “Potable Water Supply Act”, and HB 6142 “Safe Drinking Water Act”.
World Toilet Day is a global observance that raises awareness about the critical issue of sanitation and access to clean and safe toilets which is estimated by UNICEF to be affecting more than 50 million Filipinos who do not have access to safely managed sanitation services.
