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BY GLENN BEUP
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Wednesday. September 20, 2017
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ROXAS City – Defecation in places other than the house or any enclosed toilet facility is banned in the city.
City Ordinance (CO) No. 047-2017, or the Zero Defecation Ordinance, declares defecation in open spaces in the city illegal.
“We have plenty of diarrhea cases,” said Councilor Cesar Yap. “It becomes the cause of death of children 5 years old and below.”
Yap said this can be attributed to the unsanitary practices of some households in the city.
“They defecate in open spaces due to the lack of toilet facilities,” explained Yap.
The city is short of household toilet bowls required by the Department of Health’s Zero Open Defecation Score Card, records from the City Health Office showed.
This was the basis of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in passing the ordinance.
The SP wanted to control the “defecation-anywhere” practice of locals, especially those living near the sea and rivers.
“The ordinance will save lives. It will also be beneficial to Roxas City being dubbed as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines,” said Yap.
CO No. 047-2017 also covers floating vessels and river cruises. They will be banned from disposing of fecal and other waste materials to bodies of water, the ordinance stated.
Violators will be fined with P600 up to P1,000 and community service depending on the number of offenses.
If the violator is a minor (below 18 years old), their parents or guardians will be penalized, the ordinance further stated.
“The City Health Office and the barangays will be tasked to implement the Zero Defecation Ordinance,” added Yap./PN
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