The Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) ramps up installation of more sanitized and communal toilets in every barangay to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

CCHD head Dr. Daisy Villa told media that just one barangay in the city had achieved the Level One of the Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) designation in 2022.

"We are conducting health profiling again to see if the number of toilets has increased. We are giving,even though we are out of supply of toilet bowl. Usually, the barangay will provide the cement and steel bars to construct the communal toilet," she said.

Level 1 ZOD denotes that 95 to 100 percent of the inhabitants of a certain barangay have access to a sanitized toilet.

She clarified that from one barangay designated as Level 1 ZOD it has increased this year to 41 barangays. Cebu City has 80 barangays.

It was noted that the lack of restrooms has brought about spread of infectious diseases in barangays.

Villa added that CCHD has ongoing programs and projects to increase the said figures, including the design, construction,operation, and maintenance of public and communal toilets with septic tanks in every barangay.

For 2024, CCHD is asking P1 billion for its annual budget with ZOD campaign included.