Local government units (LGUs) were urged to establish their own committee that will ensure access to clean drinking water in their respective areas.
This action was discussed during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health (IACEH) last Jan. 16, said Department of Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
"The most important part that was agreed upon was the working of all government agencies, specifically DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), DOH, para maipush natin ang (to push our) local governments to set up their committee on water safety quality standards," said Vergeire in a press briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
"May committee dapat at yang committee na iyan ang magsisiguro na bawat local government masisiguro nila na ang iniinom na tubig ng tao are of quality (There should be a committee and that committee will ensure that every local government can guarantee that the people’s drinking water is of quality)," she added.
Last November, the DOH also convened the IACEH members to discuss ways on how to address the outbreak of diarrheal diseases in the Philippines.
Vergeire, in a press briefing last November, said several areas in the country that had diarrheal outbreaks lack access to safe drinking water as well as hygiene facilities such as toilets, and clogged wastewater systems.
The IACEH is consists of 12 government agencies, including the DOH. The other departments are Interior and Local Government (DILG), Agriculture (DA), Science and Technology (DOST), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Trade and Industry (DTI), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Transportation (DOTr), Information and Communications Technology (DILG), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and Philippine Information Agency (PIA).