The municipality of Santol in La Union is the only LGU in Ilocos Region who received a G2 certification given during the Environmental Health and Sanitation Summit held in Urdaneta, Pangasinan on November 22, 2024
DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) – Ilocos Region awarded a certificate of recognition for 36 municipalities and cities as Certified Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) during the 2024 Environmental Health and Summit held in Urdaneta, Pangasinan on November 22, 2024.
Among the awardees in the province of Pangasinan were the local government units of Sual, Malasiqui, Tayug, Binalonan, Mapandan, Sison, Bolinao, Umingan, Laoac, Bani, Mangatarem, Sto. Tomas, Pozorrubio, Labrador, Urbiztondo, San Fabian, Alcala, Sta. Barbara, Asingan and Urdaneta City.
From Ilocos Norte were the LGUs of Solsona, Bacarra, Pagudpod, Dingras, Banna, Piddig, Pinili, Burgos and the cities of Batac and Laoag.
Ilocos Sur ZOD awardees were Sugpon, Sinait, Galimuyod, Banayoyo, Cervantes and Candon City.
A ZOD or G1 (Grade 1) status is when all the households in a community have access to a safe sanitary toilet facility and have abandoned their practice of open defecation and no human wastes are found in the environment.
“ZOD certification is a long process that requires years of investment and the political will of all stakeholders and local leaders. With this, I commend the LGUs who have work hard to achieved their 100% ZOD status,” Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco stated.
“Marami pa po tayong gagawin as we embark on achieving G2 status by 2028. At kailangan nating palakasin ang ating environmental health and sanitation system to become functional to handle extreme weather events, gaya ng mga nagdaang mga bagyo and ensure that our groundwater is protected from bacteria contamination,” she added.
A G2 or Basic Sanitation status is when a community including households, schools, child development centers and public institutional facilities have their own functional sanitary toilets and all solid waste are properly disposed of.
The municipality of Santol in La Union is the only LGU who received a G2 certification
Sanitation engineers and sanitation officers who have accumulated 7 up to 39 years of service were also given recognition for their invaluable contribution in the improvement and sustainability of environmental health and sanitation in their respective communities.
Sydiongco expressed her congratulations to all the awardees and encourage all health and sanitation officers to continue their relentless effort in contributing to the reduction of risks and diseases related to environmental sanitation and work to achieve the sustainable development goals on sanitation in their respective municipalities.
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