ILOILO — The Iloilo provincial government is ramping up efforts to change community behavior on animal waste handling and solid waste management as it pushes to secure the Department of Health’s (DOH) Grade 2 (G2) basic sanitation certification for the entire province by 2028.
While Iloilo achieved Grade 1 (Zero Open Defecation) status in 2022, only one municipality — Tubungan in the 1st District — has so far attained G2, which requires not only the elimination of open defecation but also the prohibition of toilet sharing among households and the availability of functional sanitation facilities in all public establishments.
Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) chief Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon said the province’s biggest hurdle is not infrastructure, but the community’s habits.
“Kung sa health nga side which is toilet puede sia, ma-amat-amatan but ang nakita namon nga challenge is the behavior sang tawo especially towards sa proper animal waste (domestic and livestock) and solid waste management,” Quiñon told Panay News.
She emphasized that achieving G2 status is vital to preventing outbreaks linked to improper waste disposal.
“Through proper waste disposal (human and animal) and management of solid waste, we can prevent disease transmission especially food and waterborne diseases,” she said.
Quiñon added that improved waste management also reduces risks of mosquito-borne diseases, leptospirosis, dog bites, and even road accidents related to stray animals.
“We can decrease mosquito-borne diseases and leptospirosis. Also if we manage our stray dogs through responsible pet ownership… we can decrease dog bite cases and road accidents,” she added.
Support From the Provincial Government
According to IPHO, the provincial government under Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. continues to support sanitation compliance efforts, allotting ₱5 million annually since 2017 for toilet construction and helping LGUs establish public toilets.
Since 2024, public toilets have been completed in 11 municipalities. The province is also conducting continuous G2 orientations for barangay officials, BHWs, and municipal verification teams.
Four More Towns in Line for G2 Declaration
After Tubungan’s success, the IPHO is now working to declare four municipalities—Badiangan, Bingawan, Concepcion, and Leganes—as the next G2-compliant areas, as several of their barangays have already met the requirements.
Quiñon urged stronger local leadership and community participation, especially in light of World Toilet Day on Nov. 19.
She appealed for the “commitment of leaders and community to a clean, safe and healthy surrounding through strengthened policy and cooperation.”
Iloilo aims to achieve full province-wide sustainable sanitation by 2028, aligning with DOH targets under the Philippine Approach to Sustainable Sanitation (PhATSS)./PN
