• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The municipality of San Enrique in Negros Occidental on Monday joined La Carlota City in the list of local government units in Negros Occidental that have achieved the zero open defecation (ZOD) status.
Mayor Jilson Tubillara received the award and P100,000 cash incentive from Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Health Officer Ma. Girlie Pinongan during the recognition rites held at the municipality gymnasium.
A ZOD status is achieved when all households in a particular barangay have access to sanitary toilet facilities and has stopped the practice of open defecation, which results in zero human feces exposure in the environment, according to the Department of Health (DOH), which is promoting ZOD in all barangays of the country.
In a statement, Lacson said the provincial government will continuously and diligently pursue the goal of ZOD in line with the Provincial Integrated Safe Water Program, as it also aligns with the province’s dedication to addressing the United Nations’ sixth Sustainable Goal of Clean Water and Sanitation.
Earlier this year, the provincial government of Negros Occidental provided selected barangays in E.B. Magalona with 300 toilets, as part of its ZOD strategy.
Lacson said a ZOD status also means safe water for Negrenses, noting that sugarcane fields are being used as rest rooms, with human waste also being thrown in rivers and creeks.
“We would like to avoid that because it can affect our underground water, river water, which is the source of our bulk water project,” the governor said. “With education and providing them with the facilities to build their toilets, we are now improving the health situation of all Negrenses.”
According to the DOH, there are more Filipinos with mobile phones than those with functional toilets, which it said should be a necessity for every Filipino household. | GB
