Gamay: The town of Gamay in Northern Samar has been certified as a Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) municipality by the Department of Health (DOH). Maria Aurora Dubongco, officer-in-charge of the Northern Samar provincial health office, announced the achievement following a verification process conducted by the DOH regional office. This certification places Gamay alongside other towns in the province, such as Mapanas, Bobon, Mondragon, Catubig, and San Roque, which have also attained ZOD status.

According to Philippines News Agency, Dubongco explained that achieving ZOD status signifies that households in the community have ceased open defecation practices and are utilizing functional sanitary toilets. This is considered a significant advancement in public health. Open defecation is the practice of disposing of human waste in open areas such as fields, forests, and bodies of water, which poses serious health risks.

Dubongco emphasized that the ZOD status is crucial for improving public health and sanitation, pre
venting health issues such as diarrhea, worm infections, schistosomiasis, and problems related to stunted growth and undernourishment. She highlighted that this achievement reflects the local government of Gamay’s dedication to promoting a healthy environment through proper sanitation practices.

Gamay, a fourth-class municipality located in the northeastern region of Northern Samar, has a population of 23,367, primarily engaged in farming and fishing. For its accomplishment in eradicating open defecation and enhancing sanitation practices, the town is set to receive PHP200,000 from the provincial government.

The DOH’s ZOD campaign aims for every household to have a basic toilet facility by 2025. As of 2020, only 26.43 percent of villages, equating to 11,138, are ZOD-certified. Furthermore, only 9.14 percent of municipalities across 1,488 towns in the Philippines have achieved municipal-wide ZOD status, as per data from the United Nations Children’s Fund.