TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) is set to oversee the implementation of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services across six provinces and key cities in Eastern Visayas, exerting influence on local governments to prioritize WASH as a key program.
Meylene Rosales, Vice Chair of RDC and Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), disclosed that they have received WASH action plans from the provinces of Leyte, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar, along with the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban.
"We conducted caravans in various regions this year, urging local governments to formulate WASH action plans addressing issues and gaps such as inadequate access to safe water, water testing laboratories, and handwashing facilities," Rosales stated in a phone interview on Thursday.
Additional concerns outlined in the action plans include insufficient manpower, the need for capacity-building activities, and the call to prioritize the WASH sector in budget allocations.
The action plans, serving as the foundation for RDC's endorsement, contain specific details, including actionable steps, responsible entities, and financing options.
The caravan initiative was a collaborative effort involving RDC, NEDA, UNICEF, and the Department of Health.
Referring to reports from the 2021 field health services information system, the RDC highlighted that only 77.35 percent of households have access to basic safe water supply, 73.34 percent have access to basic sanitation, and a mere 34.83 percent of 4,390 villages have achieved zero open defecation.
The new Eastern Visayas Regional Development Plan emphasizes the need for collaboration between the WASH sector at the local and national levels to review and strategize the implementation of the Philippine Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan in a unified manner.
Rosales emphasized that local governments are expected to take the lead in crafting local master plans and initiating projects related to water supply, sanitation, and wastewater management in their respective areas.
Monitoring the WASH action plan aligns with the country's commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6, ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
According to the United Nations, access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is a fundamental human need for health and well-being, and without substantial progress, billions of people are projected to lack access to these essential services by 2030. (PNA)
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