THE Provincial Technical Working Group (PTWG) of Zero Open Defecation, together with the World Bank–Water and Sanitation Program (WB-WSP), has strengthened its rural sanitation agenda to Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) grantees in 36 barangays in Vallehermoso and Mabinay towns.
While the target households without toilet have been urged to move from open defecation to fixed point excretion, WB–WSP coordinator Leo de Castro cited the need for toilet bowl subsidies for some households.
It is noted that in 15 barangays of Vallehermoso with a total household population of 7,416, only 2,744 have toilets. Of the 2,805 Pantawid household beneficiaries, there are 1,819 without toilets.
While the provincial government has its hands full to provide the necessary funding assistance and the World Bank would only offer technical aspect, De Castro appealed to cooperatives in the province to help support the program.
The assistance from the cooperative may come in kind such as latrines or toilet bowls that may substantially reduce the construction costs for the Pantawid households, said De Castro.
PTWG plans to tap cooperatives as a follow suit from provincial government’s Negros Oriental Provincial Employees Cooperative, which already donated toilet bowls.
Negros Oriental United Cooperative representative Gina Tiongson pledged to raise the concern to groups of cooperatives in the province as part of its corporate social responsibility.