• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Access to health services, including the annual free or subsidized basic health screening for employees, like blood pressure monitoring, BMI assessment, and lifestyle health risk evaluations, is among the salient provisions of the newly-approved Bacolod City Healthy Workplace Ordinance of 2026.
The ordinance, authored by Councilor Em Ang, with councilors Caesar Distrito and Bobby Rojas as co-authors, covers all offices and departments of the Bacolod City government, national government agencies, and business establishments, corporate offices, educational institutions, and nongovernmental organizations operating in the city.
Voluntary compliance is highly encouraged for micro and small enterprises, with technical assistance to be provided by the local government, the ordinance stressed.
Aside from access to health services, the measure also provides for a safe and healthy work environment, like the mandatory provision of clean drinking water, adequate ventilation, proper waste disposal, and regular sanitation; psychosocial and mental health support; and community engagement and institutional partnership.
Ang, chairperson of the SP Committee on Health and Sanitation, stressed that “the rise of modern occupational hazards, lifestyle diseases, and recent public health emergencies highlight the critical need to transition from purely reactive healthcare to proactive, preventative health management directly within the workplace.”
She said that investing in occupational health and localized wellness programs significantly reduces absenteeism, lowers healthcare costs, and boosts overall economic productivity, and contributes to the sustained economic growth of the highly-urbanized city.
Any person, including owners, managers, or administrators of covered private establishments, found violating the mandatory provisions of the ordinance shall be fined P1,000 and a formal Notice to Comply from the Bacolod City Health Office; P3,000 and mandatory attendance of management personnel in an occupational safety and health compliance seminar; and P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than six months, or both, for third and subsequent offenses.
The Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) may also suspend or revoke the business permit of the erring establishment, the ordinance states.
If the violation is committed by a corporation, partnership, or other juridical entity, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president, manager, or the officer responsible for the offense, it added. “Government officials or employees who fail to comply shall be subject to appropriate administrative sanctions under existing civil service rules and regulations.” | CGC
