ILOILO – The provincial government faces the formidable task of bringing 1,618 more barangays up to higher sanitation standards within the next two years as it pushes for 100-percent Grade 2 (G2) certification of all 1,721 barangays by 2028.
G2 certification goes beyond eliminating open defecation. Under the standards, households must have their own toilets rather than sharing them with other households.
Public facilities such as schools, plazas and markets must also have toilets, while communities are expected to prevent indiscriminate garbage disposal and practice proper waste segregation.
So far, only 103 barangays, or roughly six percent of the province-wide target, have been certified under the Philippine Approach to Sustainable Sanitation (PHATSS) Grade 2, according to Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon.
This means about 94 percent of Iloilo’s barangays still have to secure G2 certification for the province to meet its 2028 goal.
“We wish to inspire more barangays because ginalantaw naton nga by 2028 all 1,721 barangays in the province maging G2 certify,” Quiñon said.
The ambitious sanitation campaign was highlighted during the PHATSS “Biyaheng G2 para sa Limpyo Iloilo Summit” on Thursday, Aug. 20, attended by barangay officials, Municipal Health Offices, sanitation inspectors, mayors and other stakeholders.
Among the 103 barangays that have already passed G2 standards are all 48 barangays of Tubungan, making the municipality a model for other local government units.
“This time around not only that nga wala sila nagapupo anywhere, we want to establish that all households in all barangays have toilets sa ila nga panimalay, indi lang nga shared. Gina-ensure gid naton nga ang tanan nga households, not only households but also public facilities may ara nga toilets area and tanan nga schools or for every 101 ka mga kabataan, dapat may ara gid kasilyas,” Quiñon said.
She acknowledged that securing G2 certification involves a difficult process but expressed confidence that other barangays can follow those that have already succeeded.
“Kon na-obra sang Tubungan kag na-obra sang iban nga barangay ta, I think and believe nga ma-obra man ini sang tanan nga mga barangay,” Quiñon said.
The campaign is also being pursued as a public health intervention. Quiñon said improved sanitation could help reduce food-borne illnesses such as diarrhea as well as dengue cases and contribute to better nutrition, particularly among children.
To help communities comply with the requirements, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. allocates P5 million annually for the purchase of toilet bowls for municipalities where households continue to share toilets.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias assured local governments that the Capitol would continue supporting their efforts to reach the higher sanitation standard.
The province had previously achieved Grade 1 or Zero Open Defecation status, an accomplishment recognized in the 2023 Galing Pook Awards.
World Health Organization-Philippines Deputy Head Olivia Lawe-Davis, one of the summit’s keynote speakers, stressed that sustainable sanitation cannot be achieved through infrastructure alone.
“This is why the work being recognized today matters so much. To the provincial and local leaders, barangay officials, sanitation inspectors, health workers and community partners coming together today thank you for making sanitation a priority. Your work, from identifying gaps, and improving facilities to monitoring progress and engaging communities is what turns standards into action. At the same time recognition is a milestone and not the finish line,” Lawe-Davis said in her message.
She emphasized that sustaining sanitation gains would require continued local leadership, adequate resources, monitoring, planning and budgeting, as well as active community participation.
Lawe-Davis urged Iloilo to sustain its gains, ensure sanitation improvements reach communities still facing barriers and share its experience with other local governments across the country.
“Ultimately, the success of this journey will not just be measured by the numbers that you achieve but whether safe and sustainable sanitations become a part of of your community everyday lives,” she said./PN
