• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The municipality of San Enrique yesterday joined La Carlota City as among the local government units in Negros Occidental to achieve Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) status.
Mayor Jilson Tubillara received the award and P100,000 cash incentive from Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan during the recognition rites at the municipality gymnasium.
A ZOD status is achieved when 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, 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 Zero Open Defecation, in line with the Provincial Integrated Safe Water Program, as it also aligns with the province’s dedication to addressing the United Nations’ 6th Sustainable Goal of Clean Water and Sanitation.
Early this year, the provincial government of Negros Occidental provided selected barangays in EB Magalona with 300 toilets, as part of its ZOD strategy.
A ZOD barangay means all its residents already have access to toilets.
Lacson said a ZOD status also means safe water for Negrenses, noting that sugarcane fields are being used as rest rooms, and human waste is also being disposed of 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 stressed.
With education and providing them with the facilities to build their toilets, Lacson said we are now improving the health situation of all Negrenses.
According to DOH, there are more Filipinos with mobile phones than those with functional toilets, which should be a necessity for every Filipino household.*
