Governor Joseph Cua last week awarded a P10,000 cash incentive to each of the 30 barangays which are now practicing Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) as he expressed hope the province would achieve the same status by 2028.
“It is the province’s duty to safeguard and promote the health of all its citizens and, with the Zero Open Defecation Ordinance, will be actively working towards a future where every Catandunganon has access to proper sanitation facilities,” he said in his message during the launching ceremony last Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 at the Catanduanes Convention Center.
“Most people do not realize that the lack of proper hygiene and sanitation/ can bring about untold amounts of disease,” he stressed.
The ordinance, which adopts the Philippine Approach to Sustainable Sanitation (PhATSS), provides mechanisms for incentives and penalties for violations.
Barangay captains, accompanied by their town’s municipal health officer and sanitation officers, received the ZOD Seal from the chief executive, Baras Mayor Jose Paolo Teves III, and Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Hazel Palmes.
Also present were the province’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Coalition Partners: UNICEF WASH Specialist Paul del Rosario; A Single Drop for Safe Water Inc. Executive Director and Single Drop Consultancy Services Inc. President Kevin Lee; Manila Water Foundation Inc. Program Manager Ivy Jil de Leon who represented Program Operations Manager Nathaniel George Hipolito; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Charities Phils. Jairuz Perez represented by Ricardo Pabico; ARDCI Executive Director Victor Bernal represented by Richie Nieves; and PDOHO Dr. Robert John Aquino represented by Dr. Lilibeth Pabico.
The awardee ZOD barangays are led by 15 barangays from Baras: Agban, Sta. Maria, Guinsaanan, Nagbarorong, Danao, Benticayan, Puraran, Genitligan, Sagrada, San Lorenzo, Abihao, Caragumihan, Quezon, Eastern Poblacion and Western Poblacion
The other 15 are Bote, San Andres, Libod, Banawang, Sibacungan and Ilawod, all from Bato; Pajo Baguio, Talisoy, Palta Small, San Pedro, San Juan and Rawis from Virac; andBon-ot, Esperanza and San Roque from San Andres town.
In her welcome remarks, Dr. Palmes said waterborne diseases manifested as diarrhea due to fecal contamination of water and food can become a problem after disasters as a result of disrupted water, sanitation and sewage systems.
It can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening if untreated and particularly dangerous in children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems, she emphasized, and can also become an economic burden for the affected local government unit.
Shortly after the province was hit by two successive typhoons in late 2020, humanitarian and development partners like UNICEF and ASDSW prioritized Catanduanes for assistance and formed a coalition of partners to assist the province in line with the provincial WaSH Plan.
Assessment and evaluation of the needs of hardest-hit municipalities were done by partners, which embarked on WaSH project in coordination with the provincial government and institutionalized WaSH governance, with the passage of Provincial Ordinance No. 021-2021 “adopting DOH AO No. 2019-0054, PhATSS Policy and Implementing Zero Open Defecation (ZOD), Imposing Fines and Penalties for Violation and Providing Funds Thereof.”
The PhATSS is a sanitation program strategy and monitoring framework that helps LGUs move communities from open defecation status to sustainable sanitation status, in support to the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines and the province’s commitment to SDG 6.1, which aims to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, and SGD 6.2, which aims to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
She expressed hope the move will encourage remaining 285 barangays to take action and educate people on proper hygiene and sustainable sanitation, eradicate open defecation by achieving 100% access to sanitary toilets, reduce waterborne and other sanitation and hygiene-related diseases, Impose the use of sanitary toilets with proper septage; and institutionalize ZOD ordinance through strict enforcement.