The DOH-CALABARZON has given the first Gintong DALOY Awards to local government units who participated in the Environmental Sanitation Project of Quezon Provincial DOH Office project during the 2019 Health Summit for the Province of Quezon.
Regional Director Eduardo Janairo said Gintong DALOY stands for “Damayan para sa Aksyong Linis, Oportunidad at Yamang pangkalusugan.”
The award, he said, highlights the importance and benefits of having and using sanitary toilets, adequate and safe water supply in the community.
It also encourages local governments to showcase their best practices on sanitation, safe water supply and other local initiatives and innovations related to environmental health.
“It is an Environmental Sanitation initiative of Quezon Provincial DOH Office in meeting the target in the Philippine Sustainable Sanitation Sector Roadmap by 2025 for water [100 percent] and by 2028 for sanitation [100 percent],” emphasized Janairo.
Among the Category A winners at the barangay level were barangays Angeles in Alabat, Quezon (1st place), Pinaglubayan in Polilio, Quezon (2nd place) and Bagupaye in Mulanay, Quezon (3rd place). Caregory B winners were barangays Pambilan Sur in Alabat, Quezon (1st place), Mapagmahal in Perez, Quezon (2nd place) and Bato in Panukulan (3rd place).
Winners at the city/municipal level were the municipalities of Atimonan (1st place category A), Quezon and Lucban (1st and 2nd place respectively, for category B) and Alabat (1st), Panukulan (2nd) and San Antonio (3rd) for category C.
The Gintong DALOY project calls for the provision of incentives for Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) communities with effective hygiene promotion and advocacy on environmental sanitation.
It also aims to raise awareness on the importance of sanitation, encourage LGU’s to promote and implement policies and actions to meet sanitation target and to mobilize communities towards changing sanitation and hygiene practices through sanitation-health-education campaign.
It is one of the priority projects of the Quezon Provincial DOH Office led by Dr. Juvy Paz Purino which began in 2017.
“It is part of a strategy that advocates for a unified local action plan for sanitation at the barangay level and ensures the availability and sustainability management of water and sanitation to the community.”
She also noted that during its first year of implementation in the province, it envisions boosting and accelerating local government and community action in addressing sanitation problems in their respective areas and facilities and its inclusion in the investment plans of every LGU.
“It also gives recognition and award for the Best Municipalities/Cities and Barangay with Best Sanitation Practices at the provincial level,” she related.
Winners were validated in the following criteria—number of households with sanitary toilet facilities, number of households with access to safe water supply, improvement in sanitary toilet coverage and p0ercent5age of increase from 2017 to 2018, approved Barangay/Municipal Budget for Water and Sanitation projects and programs, utilization of Barangay/Municipal Budget for Water and Sanitation projects and programs, WASH practices in public establishments and school/s in the barangay (e.g. Day Care Center) and local sanitation initiatives (e.g. solid waste management, wastewater management, clean and green, legislative support and community participation).
The project is in collaboration with DOH Regional Office, Integrated Provincial Health Office, Local Government Units and other stakeholders of Quezon Province and the competition was open to all the municipalities and cities including all the barangays to participate in Quezon Province.
This Gintong DALOY is aligned to the National Search for Barangay with Best Sanitation Practices of the Department of Health.