Bicol: The Department of Health (DOH) 5 (Bicol) is aiming to expand the coverage of its Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) program to 89 percent of households in the region by 2025. In an interview on Tuesday, Lea Angela Romero-Castillo, DOH-5 Environmental Health Regional Program Manager, stated that the ZOD program is a key strategy for improving rural sanitation development. The goal is to reach 1.25 million out of an estimated 1.4 million households in the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, the ZOD program was initiated in 2015 and received further support through the issuance of Department Memorandum 2015-0021. This memorandum provides guidelines for the verification and certification of barangays as Zero Open Defecation. In its latest report, the Field Health Services Information System (FHSIS) indicated that as of 2024, 75.45 percent of households in the region have access to basic sanitation facilities, accounting for 1.06 million households.
The DOH reported that several local government units (LGUs) have achieved Municipal-Wide Certified ZOD status, including Gubat, Sta. Magdalena, Barcelona, and Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon; Pili and Milaor in Camarines Sur; and Bagamanoc in Catanduanes. Overall, 20 municipalities have achieved ZOD status, with seven in Albay, three in Camarines Sur, one in Catanduanes, eight in Sorsogon, and one in Naga City.
"When we refer to municipal-wide certified ZOD, it means these municipalities or cities have achieved coverage of 95 percent or above of households with access to basic sanitation facilities, following the verification and certification process," Romero-Castillo explained.
The criteria for declaring a municipality as ZOD-certified include the use of functional toilets, availability of soap and water at or near toilets, proper disposal of feces from infants and the elderly, absence of visible feces in the surrounding area, and evidence of a barangay action plan aimed at improving sanitation.
Romero-Castillo emphasized that support and cooperation from the public and health partners are vital for the ZOD program's successful implementation across the region. "The role of LGUs in the ZOD program is crucial for its successful implementation and sustainability. They are responsible for creating and enforcing local ordinances to eliminate open defecation, integrating ZOD into local development and sanitation plans, allocating budgets for toilet construction and sanitation activities, conducting awareness campaigns, tracking progress, maintaining sanitation data, and issuing certifications," she added.
In 2023, the DOH-5 received a PHP5.08 million sub-allotment from the DOH Central Office for Environmental and Occupational Health. This budget was used for constructing 113 toilet facilities in selected LGUs, including Viga (35 units), Gigmoto (35 units), and Baleno (43 units). In 2024, the DOH-5 received a PHP5 million sub-allotment for 100 additional toilet facilities, with recipients in Panganiban, Catanduanes (50 units), and Juban, Sorsogon (50 units). The funding was transferred to the LGUs for utilization.
