Environmental Health and Sanitation stand as pillars of public well-being, reflecting a city's commitment to fostering a clean, safe, and sustainable living environment for its residents. As integral components of the City Health Department's major programs, this program aims to protect and enhance community health by addressing key factors influencing the quality of our surroundings. Through vigilant monitoring, education, and strategic interventions, the program endeavors to create a harmonious coexistence between its inhabitants and the environment, promoting a healthier and more resilient community.

Ongoing

  The LGU of Ormoc City has been strengthening its campaign against open defecation, focusing on raising community awareness to encourage households to abandon improper excreta disposal practices. The Environmental Health Services (EHS) of Ormoc, under the leadership of Councilor for Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Hon. Edmund B. Kierulf and City Health Officer II Dr. Sarah Q. Hermoso, has continued its Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) campaign, targeting various barangays.

    In 2024, a total of 1,300 households were able to install new toilet facilities with assistance from the LGU, which provided start-up materials such as one toilet bowl, one bag of cement, and three steel bars. Additionally, the ZOD Technical Working Group (TWG) verification team successfully verified 17 ZOD barangays. An awarding ceremony was held on December 16, 2024, at Pongos Hotel in Brgy. South, Ormoc City.

  By the end of 2024, Ormoc City's sanitation status reached an impressive 96.45%, surpassing the target of 1,000 new households with basic sanitation facilities by an additional 1,300 households. With these achievements, the city is on track to become a ZOD City, and the LGU aims to reduce open defecation in 2025. This progress has brought Ormoc City closer to its ultimate goal of a city-wide ZOD status, and there is growing optimism for continued success in 2025.

Ormoc City Health Department is steadfast in its commitment to eradicate open defecation, emphasizing community awareness and concerted efforts for improved excreta disposal practices. In June 2023, the Environmental Health and Sanitation (EHS) section spearheaded a Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) campaign, targeting specific barangays under the leadership of Councilor Edmund B. Kierulf and City Health Officer II, Dr. Sarah Q. Hermoso.

The World Toilet Day Celebration on November 20, 2023, witnessed the EHS section leading a motorcade awareness campaign, reinforcing the importance of proper sanitation practices. Notably, in 2023, the LGU assisted 1,138 households in installing new toilet facilities, providing essential startup materials.

The ZOD Technical Working Group (TWG) verification team successfully verified 15 ZOD barangays, culminating in an awarding ceremony at Sutuwaki restaurant on December 11, 2023. Ormoc City achieved commendable progress, with 92.89% of actual households now equipped with basic sanitation facilities, marking a 4.33% increase from the previous year.

Despite surpassing the target increment goal, achieving city-wide ZOD remained elusive in 2023. Undeterred, the LGU aims for a resolute approach in 2024. Prioritizing 565 identified households with probable open defecation for toilet installations and identifying 129 households needing additional intervention, Ormoc City sets ambitious targets for the upcoming year, fostering optimism toward realizing a city-wide ZOD status. 

The table below shows the number and percentage of households with access to basic sanitation facility.

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS GIVEN TOILET MATERIALS: 1055

(SET OF 1 BAG CEMENT, 3 PCS STEEL BARS, 1 TOILET BOWL)

REMAINING TOILET MATERIALS READY TO DISTRIBUTE: 434 SETS

The total number of households is 60,156, out of which 59,682 households have access to basic sanitation facilities. This translates to an actual percentage of 99.2%. While this percentage demonstrates significant progress in providing sanitation facilities, it also highlights a gap of approximately 0.8% in achieving universal access.

Additionally, the provision of toilet materials to 1,055 households (comprising 1 bag of cement, 3 pieces of steel bars, and 1 toilet bar) is a commendable initiative aimed at promoting household-level sanitation infrastructure. This effort not only addresses immediate needs but also empowers households to build and maintain their sanitation facilities independently, thereby contributing to sustainable sanitation practices.

Since 2015, there has been a steady rise in the number of households gaining access to sanitary toilets, marking a significant advancement in public health and sanitation efforts. This upward trend reflects ongoing initiatives aimed at improving hygiene standards and reducing the prevalence of waterborne diseases. The increase underscores the positive impact of targeted interventions, such as community awareness campaigns, and government policies promoting access to clean facilities. As more households adopt sanitary toilets, the broader implications include improved health outcomes, reduced environmental contamination, and enhanced dignity and well-being for individuals and communities. This data highlights the effectiveness of sustained investment in sanitation infrastructure and underscores the importance of continued efforts to ensure universal access to safe sanitation facilities worldwide.

There are currently 37 out of 84 or 44% barangays that are verified to have Zero Open Defecation.