DOH issues zero open defecation policies

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday issued two new policies to achieve zero open defecation (ZOD) for all barangays by 2025, and to curb the high prevalence of diseases caused by lack of toilets nationwide.

Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo said the Philippine Approach to Sustainable Sanitation (PhATSS) and the national standards on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of septic tank systems have been signed and already set for implementation.

Bayugo said having a sanitation facility is not a luxury, but a necessity for every household.

“Many Filipinos can buy their cellphones but their households do not have proper toilet facilities. Maybe you can also prioritize the dignity of your family,” Bayugo pointed out.

Bayugo said the DOH came out with the new standards to ensure that all barangays nationwide have toilets, and to guide local government units (LGUs) in monitoring whether establishments and households are complying with proper construction and management of septic tanks.

“The reason why we handed these new policies to the local government units (LGUs) is to guide them in monitoring if individual houses and other establishments are up to standard,” Bayugo said in an interview.

He said the PhATSS policy will guide LGUs on how to track the sanitation situation of each community and take supportive action to ensure that no one is left behind without access to a sanitary toilet. 

Bayugo stressed the need for the implementation of the new regulations to stop contamination of rivers due to poor management of septic tanks which could lead to spread of diseases like polio.

“We encourage all local government units to prioritize sanitation. Having proper sanitation largely affects the health, nutrition, education and security of Filipino children and women,” he pointed out. 

He said prioritizing sanitation is a must, including those living in remote and geographically isolated areas, and in indigenous communities.

According to Bayugo, poor sanitation contributes to stunting and malnutrition, as repeated diarrhea and other infections in the gut affect children’s capacity to absorb the nutrients from the food they eat. 

Bayugo said the act of defecating in open spaces such as fields and bodies of water also puts children and women at risk of sexual harassment and abuse.

Based on DOH data, only 11 percent or 4,625 of all barangays nationwide have been certified ZOD, a status wherein the whole community has abandoned the practice of defecating in fields, bushes and bodies of water, and already use toilets.

Results of the 2017 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey, on the other hand, showed that nearly six percent of Filipinos still do not have toilets and are most likely practicing open defecation, while another 19 percent use unimproved sanitation facilities, which include poorly designed septic tanks.