One of the topics discussed in the recent press conference of the Department of Health at Rakdell Inn was its Environmental Health Program, which seeks to prevent and control diseases by eliminating or controlling the environmental risk factors which may form links in disease transmission.
Among the common health concerns related to the environment are outdoor pollution, which cause respiratory conditions, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer; contaminated or unsafe drinking water, which is blamed for diarrheal illnesses; and mosquitoes, ticks and other vectors which spread malaria, dengue fever and leptospirosis.
The DOH’s Environmental Health and Sanitation Services seeks to promote access to safe water and sanitation services through various programs such as Drinking Water Supply, Sanitation, Zero Open Defecation Program, WASH in Emergency Situations, Food Sanitation, Climate Change for Health, and Health Impact Assessment,
In the report, only 29,057 households in Catanduanes, representing just 46.82 percent of the total households of 62,062 in 2023, had access to safely managed drinking water services.
By this the DOH clarifies that such drinking water service is located on the premises (piped, inside or a point source), available when needed, and free of fecal contamination as validated by the Rural Sanitation Inspector.
On the other hand, a larger number, 48,259 households used safely managed sanitation services in the same year, or a high 77.76 percent of the total households.
This means the majority of Catandunganons have access to safe sanitary services such as individual sanitation facility with septic tank.
More than 12,000 homes in the island have no access to basic sanitary toilets, which prompted the DOH to identify 33 barangays as priority sites for the ZOD Program.
To qualify as a ZOD barangay, the village residents should have 100 percent access to the use of functional toilets with available soap and water, observe proper disposal of baby’s and elderly’s feces, has no visib;e feces in the surrounding, and has an action plan towards sustainable sanitation.
To assist LGUs in Catanduanes, DOH provided P3.15 million for the construction of 70 concrete toilet facilities with septic tanks in several barangays in Viga and Gigmoto in 2023.
In 2024, it allocated 50 sanitary toilets worth P2.5 million for the town of Panganiban.
It was stressed during the presscon that some residents need to undergo behavioral change with regards to sanitation as they often prioritize TVs, cellphones and refrigerators over toilets.
Some of the would-be recipients of the DOH materials for toilet construction even sold the cement and steel bars, leading to the non-completion of their facilities.
It is worth mentioning that the provincial government, under the administration of Gov. Joseph Cua, has so far allocated some P10 million for the construction of toilets for 480 households in support of the ZOD program.
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A PENNY FOR HIS THOUGHTS. One night, a wife found her husband standing over their newborn baby’s crib. Silently she watched him. As he stood looking down at the sleeping infant, she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: disbelief, doubt, delight, amazement, enchantment, skepticism.
Touched by this unusual display and the deep emotions it aroused, with eyes glistening she slipped her arms around her husband.
“A penny for your thoughts,” she whispered in his ear.
“It’s amazing!” he replied. “I just can’t see how anybody can make a crib like that for only $46.50!”