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[av_heading heading=’Millions of Pinoys have no sanitation facilities ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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MANILA – The Philippines is facing a problem with open defecation.
Eight million Filipinos defecate openly, a report by the Department of Health (DOH) said.
Around P1 billion is needed to improve the country’s inadequate sanitation facilities. The DOH, however, only proposed a little over P80 million for its 2017 Zero Open Defecation program.
Sen. Loren Legarda, chief of the Senate Committee on Health, urged the local government units (LGU) to determine areas that need assistance for toilet facilities.
LGUs were also encouraged to use Sarangani Province’s campaign to achieve zero open defecation status.
“I hope all households will have improved sanitation facilities and every Filipino will have access to toilets by next year because this is a national sanitation and health issue,” Legarda said.
Citing data from WASHwatch.org, an advocacy tool for the water and sanitation sector, the lawmaker said that diarrhea, which is caused by poor sanitation and unsafe water, kills more than 300,000 children every year around the world.
She added: “Basic sanitation services such as toilets and latrines are important because the lack of these facilities result in diarrheal diseases. The safety of women and girls are also compromised when they use public toilets or have no choice but to defecate openly.”
Access to improved sanitation facilities is Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
SDG 6 is to ensure that, by 2030, “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” are achieved./PN
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