Pasil achieves municipal-wide Zero Open Defecation, receives recognition

Pasil, Kalinga – Kalinga provincial government through Governor Ferdinand Tubban conferred a certificate to the municipal local government unit of Pasil in recognition of their success in achieving a municipal-wide Grade 1 Zero Open Defecation (ZOD).

The recognition given on November 19, 2021, at Bulanao, Tabuk City is part of the World’s Toilet Day celebration.

The Office of the Governor, along with the Provincial Health Office led by Edward Tandingan, acknowledged the contribution of the municipality on the implementation of the Philippine Approach to Total Sustainable Sanitation (PhATSS), a sanitation program strategy of the Department of Health (DOH).

According to Municipal Health Office (MHO), the attainment of ZOD throughout the municipality “is a collective effort of all the barangays of Pasil that was guided by MHO through the leadership of Mayor Alfredo “Chao-ig” Malannag Jr.”

In an interview with Rural Sanitary Inspector, Beverly Mae Palliso, who received the award, said that Grade 1 ZOD is achieved when the community in all the different barangays have access to basic sanitation such that all households are using the toilet, either individually or shared.

Palliso explained that they attained ZOD in 2020 with thorough information and education campaign with the support of Sinangpad, a non-government organization that has been providing community health trainings and financial assistance for the construction of sanitary toilets in the municipality.

The Rural Sanitary Inspector added that toilet facilities were given to several households for free. This, she said, is since Pasil LGU had been purchasing toilets bowls with allocations from DOH and PHO-Kalinga.

In addition, the municipality passed ordinance 2021-6, implementing ZOD policy and imposing a P2,500 penalty for open defecation and throwing, leaving, or depositing fecal waste in open places exposed to the environment.

These efforts directed all the 14 barangays to meet the criteria for Grade 1 ZOD under the PhATTS guidelines, thus obtaining the recognition.

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