In their ongoing commitment to ensuring access to safe water, members of the PWASH TWG convened for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Planning and Consultation on September 26-27, 2024, at D'Lemon Grass Resto Bar, New Diversion Road, Catarman, Northern Samar. The activity aimed to strengthen strategies for delivering safe water and sanitation solutions in the province.
Dr. Maria Aurora D. Vicencio, OIC-Provincial Health Officer II, conveyed her sincere gratitude to UNICEF for their partnership in implementing WASH programs. She emphasized the importance of developing a unified province-wide plan to ensure a more cohesive and effective approach.
During expectation setting, Ms. Ma. Eleanor Peña, UNICEF WASH Consultant, explained that the activity will enable members to contribute to the development of a comprehensive WASH plan. She also underscored that the plan must be adaptable and responsive to the evolving needs of its beneficiaries, ensuring it effectively meets their requirements over time.
Dr. John Ezekiel T. Valera, PHO Medical Specialist IV, and Provincial WASH Council TWG Chairperson reported that as of December 2023, 5 out of 24 municipalities have achieved Zero Open Defecation status, with 220 out of 569 barangays being ZOD certified, namely, San Roque, Mondragon, Mapanas, Catubig, and Bobon. However, the province as a whole has not yet attained ZOD certification. As per him, one of the good practices of WASH is the organization of the Local Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee, with all 24 municipalities having organized their committees. He also added that only Allen, Bobon, Catarman, Gamay, San Isidro, San Jose, and Victoria have functional water districts in Northern Samar.
Moreover, he noted that there is an unequal distribution of Provincial and Rural Sanitation Inspectors. Noting that San Vicente, Catarman, Laoang, Allen, Palapag, Rosario, and San Isidro do not have enough sanitary inspectors while San Antonio and San Jose have more than what is required.
Additionally, Catubig, San Roque, and Mapanas met the Municipal ZOD target, with at least 95% of households having access to basic sanitation facilities. Meanwhile, San Roque and Catarman reached the national target of 70.34% of households using safely managed sanitation services in 2023.
He also mentioned that 14 out of 24 municipalities in the province hit the national target of 94% households with access to basic water supply, and 3 out of 24 municipalities hit the national target of 69.22% households using safely managed drinking water services.
Engr. John Albert Buban, PHO Sanitary Engineer, presented the analysis results of the 3-star approach of WASHFIT for the 4 district hospitals in the province. Biri, Capul, and San Antonio District Hospitals got a two-star rating, while San Vicente District Hospital got a no-star rating.
Ms. Gina Magdaraog, Early Childhood Care and Development Coordinator, stated 461 out of 657 Child Development Centers (CDCs) are with sanitary facilities. One notable concern she raised is the provision of appropriate toilet bowls for 3-4 year olds, as only 12 CDCs have appropriate toilet bowls.
Ms. Nilma Regulacion, WASH in School (WinS) Coordinator, explained that there are 5 key elements in the 3-star approach WinS: water, sanitation, hygiene, deworming, and health education. She also mentioned that the uploading and validation status of WinS is already at 99.84% or 611 schools in the province.
Furthermore, Engr. Victor Ace Pajuelas of DILG highlighted that iWASH aims for communities to have adequate and equitable access to safe water, sanitation, and good hygiene.
𝙋𝙒𝘼𝙎𝙃 𝙏𝙒𝙂 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙒𝘼𝙎𝙃 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙣
EnP. Jay Keenson Acebuche, OIC-Provincial Planning and Development Office, emphasized the urgency of addressing waterless municipalities. His remarks underscored the need for cohesive action among government institutions in order to utilize limited resources effectively. “Until we resolve these fundamental issues, we cannot make progress on other critical WASH efforts. It’s crucial that we not only have ambitious plans but also effectively implement them,” EnP. Acebuche stated.
Dr. Henry T. Novales, Municipal Health Officer of Bobon, provided insights of successful iWaSH practices in the municipality of Bobon. Highlighting the importance of integrating WASH with nutrition by establishing a Joint WASH and Nutrition Council. “Our approach ensures that every barangay has a comprehensive WASH plan, interlinking health, nutrition, and community engagement,” Dr. Novales explained.
His presentation included strategies such as local water quality monitoring and the establishment of water associations to enhance community health outcomes.
Mr. Welson Ramos, Program Operations Manager of PLAN Philippines, shared valuable information on their WASH program, reinforcing the significance of collaboration across all sectors.
The participants have also engaged actively in the formulation of the WASH action plan and discussed agreements and ways forward.
Ms. Odette Guades from RHU San Isidro remarked, “I am truly grateful to be invited. Seeing the good practices from municipalities like Bobon helped us assess our level and recognize how much more we can do in our municipality.”
Dr. Rikki Marion Royandoyan, from the Provincial Department of Health Office, emphasized the broader impact of the consultation, saying: “This is not just a constructive meeting for the provincial government; it’s an opportunity for all agencies to learn what we need to do moving forward.”
Ms. Peña also expressed her gratitude to the developmental partners, whose dedication and expertise have been instrumental in ensuring the success of the activity.
This significant and collaborative endeavor prompts LGUs to reaffirm their commitment to upgrading WASH strategies, providing safe water access, and improving sanitation facilities throughout the province, in line with Governor Ongchuan's development agenda, known as “Padayon Nga KAUSWAGAN” or Sustained PROGRESS.
#WASHConsultation
#iWaSH #WePlanWeDeliver
#PPDONorthernSamar
#CatalystOfDevelopment
#PadayonNgaKAUSWAGAN #NortehanonMarigonMainuswagonMalipayon
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