The Department of Health (DOH) 5 (Bicol) is eyeing to increase the coverage of its Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) program in the region to 89 percent of households for 2025.

In an interview on Tuesday, Lea Angela Romero-Castillo, DOH-5 Environmental Health Regional Program Manager, said the ZOD program, a key strategy for enhancing rural sanitation development, aims to reach 1.25 million out of an estimated 1.4 million households in the region.

The ZOD program was initiated in 2015 and received further support through the issuance of Department Memorandum 2015-0021, which provides guidelines for the verification and certification of barangays as Zero Open Defecation.

In its latest report, the Field Health Services Information System (FHSIS) said 75.45 percent of households in the region have access to basic sanitation facilities, or 1.06 million, as of 2024.

The DOH said the following local government units (LGUs) have achieved Municipal-Wide Certified ZOD status: Gubat, Sta. Magdalena, Barcelona, and Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon; Pili and Milaor in Camarines Sur; and Bagamanoc in Catanduanes.

A total of 20 municipalities have achieved ZOD status – seven in Albay, three in Camarines Sur, one in Catanduanes, eight in Sorsogon, and one in Naga City.

“When we refer to municipal-wide certified ZOD, it means these municipalities or cities have achieved coverage of 95 percent or above of households with access to basic sanitation facilities, following the verification and certification process,” she said.

The criteria for declaring a municipality as ZOD-certified include the use of functional toilets, availability of soap and water at or near toilets, proper disposal of feces from infants and the elderly, no visible feces in the surrounding area, and evidence of a barangay action plan aimed at improving sanitation.

Castillo said support and cooperation from the public and health partners are essential for the successful implementation of the ZOD program across the region.

“The role of LGUs in the ZOD program is crucial for its successful implementation and sustainability. They are responsible for creating and enforcing local ordinances to eliminate open defecation, integrating ZOD into local development and sanitation plans, allocating budgets for toilet construction and sanitation activities, conducting awareness campaigns, tracking progress, maintaining sanitation data, and issuing certifications,” she added.

In 2023, the DOH-5 received a PHP5.08 million sub-allotment from the DOH Central Office for Environmental and Occupational Health. This budget was allocated for the construction of 113 toilet facilities in selected LGUs – Viga (35 units), Gigmoto (35 units), and Baleno (43 units).

In 2024, the DOH-5 received a PHP5 million sub-allotment for the construction of 100 additional toilet facilities, with recipients in Panganiban, Catanduanes (50 units), and Juban, Sorsogon (50 units). The funding was transferred to the LGUs for utilization. (PNA)