RP launches IYS on Monday

The Philippine government starts its observance of 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation (IYS) on Monday, in a bid to reduce economic losses brought about by lack of effective programs to directly solve sanitation problems.

Results of a recent World Bank – Water and Sanitation Program and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – funded study will be released to further explain how this can be done on the same day.

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2008 as the IYS to promote improved hygiene practices and recommend actions in providing proper sanitation for the 2.6 billion people who lack access to this basic human right.

The Department of Health and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), along with other national government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), business groups and international organizations, are spearheading a series of advocacy activities for implementation this year.

The launch, which will be held in Mandaluyong City, will be graced  by resource persons who will deliver speeches while there will be exhibits at the Mandaluyong City Hall, followed by a caravan going to a nearby public school, where a ceremonial hand-washing activity by very important persons, soap-making demonstrations, and presentation of Captain WASH mascot to promote water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) among the school children.

Mayor Benjamin Abalos Jr., health secretary Francisco Duque, environment secretary Lito Atienza, UNICEF deputy representative Colin Davis, United Nations resident coordinator Nileema Noble and Miss Earth Philippines Jeanne Harn will join the event which will be anchored on the theme Sanitasyon ang Solusyon.

Rep. and Ecology Committee chair Belma Cabilao will also attend the event as a sanitation advocate who attended the East Asia Ministerial Conference on Sanitation and Hygiene in Beppu, Japan on Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, 2007, where she spearheaded the development of an action agenda for the Philippines.

In other developments, the department of health and environment and natural Resources secretaries will be presenting several new publications, such as the Operations Manual on the Rules and Regulations Governing Domestic Sludge and Septage published by the DOH with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Economic Impacts of Sanitation in the Philippines which is published by the World Bank Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) with co-funding from USAID; Universal Sanitation in East Asia, a joint WSP-WHO-UNICEF publication; and Sanitation Technology Information Kit which is published by USAID in cooperation with the League of Cities of the Philippines.