Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has filed a bill seeking to upgrade the salary grades and protect the benefits of sanitation inspectors to better reflect the health risks they face in the line of duty.
Senate Bill 1725 aims to professionalize the sector by requiring mandatory registration and accreditation for all sanitation inspectors through local health boards. Under the proposal, position titles and salary grades would be modified nationwide to provide basic monetary compensation that is more commensurate with their responsibilities.
Lacson stated in the bill’s explanatory note that the measure aims to professionalize the health and sanitary-related services rendered by inspectors to ensure the healthcare and welfare of the community. The senator noted that while inspectors are authorized to enter various establishments, including food manufacturing and preparation sites, to ensure public safety, they are frequently exposed to environmental and health hazards while remaining underpaid.
If passed into law, the measure would grant accredited inspectors a comprehensive range of benefits including hazard, subsistence, laundry, and transportation allowances. The bill also includes provisions for longevity pay, health and medical benefits, mandatory GSIS insurance coverage, and PhilHealth membership. Furthermore, inspectors would receive free legal services for work-related cases and preferential access to loans.
To maintain high professional standards, the bill mandates that accredited inspectors undergo regular environmental health sanitation training within every five-year period. The bill further requires that a registry of all accredited sanitation inspectors be maintained and publicly posted in provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays to ensure transparency and accountability in local health monitoring.