ILOILO – Tubungan has emerged as the first municipality in the entire Iloilo province to be certified under the Basic Sanitation Level or G2 classification of the Philippine Approach to Sustainable Sanitation (PhATSS), marking a significant leap in public health and hygiene standards.
The Department of Health (DOH) certification covers all 48 barangays in Tubungan, officially recognizing the town’s compliance with the stringent no-toilet-sharing requirement and other sanitation benchmarks.
The G2 certification goes beyond the previous Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) status by ensuring that every household has its own sanitary toilet, thus eliminating the practice of shared facilities.
“Under G2, there is no more toilet sharing. Every household must have its own toilet. Waste is segregated into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and recyclables like bottles. Public spaces such as markets and schools must also have accessible toilet facilities,” explained Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, head of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
This latest milestone builds on the province’s earlier achievement in 2022 of province-wide G1 – ZOD certification.
While ZOD allowed for limited toilet sharing between two households of up to 15 individuals, the G2 standard mandates full individual access to sanitary toilets.
Dr. Quiñon noted that smaller municipalities tend to reach G2 certification faster due to their limited number of barangays, making inspection and technical assistance more manageable.
Currently, the municipalities of Badiangan and Leganes are also on track, with one or two barangays each already compliant, said Dr. Quiñon.
Badiangan is made up of 31 barangays while Leganes has 18.
Central to Tubungan’s success was the active collaboration among local leaders, health workers, sanitation inspectors, and community volunteers. Rural Sanitation Inspector Lizell Camaring of Tubungan’s Rural Health Unit credited the town’s achievement to a whole-of-community approach supported by strong leadership from the Sangguniang Bayan.
She also pointed out that improved sanitation brought about immediate and visible health benefits, such as reduced cases of dengue and food- and water-borne diseases, as well as better hygiene practices in homes, schools, and markets.
“The Iloilo Provincial Health Office remains committed to this mission, continually supporting and guiding LGUs in their journey toward G2 certification — building healthier communities for MoRProGRes Iloilo,” said Quiñon./PN
