Notes on sanitary facilities in the Philippines

Media

Part of Acta Medica Philippina

Title: Notes on sanitary facilities in the Philippines
Creator: Lesaca, Reynaldo M.; Reyes, Wilfredo L.
Language: English
Source: Volume XV (3) January-March 1959
Year: 1958
Subject: Water-supply -- Health aspects; Water-supply -- Philippines; Sanitation -- Philippines; Medicine -- Periodicals
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Fulltext: NOTES ON SANITARY FACILITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES REYNALDO M. LESACA, DR. ENG'G. and WILFREDO L. REYES, M.P.B. Institute of Hygiene University of the Philippi.nu INTRODUCTION The last five years ushered in the Philippines an expanded rural development program which brought to the grassroots level, the barrio, sanitary facilities for the basic needs of the people. The sanitation phase of this program includes the country-wide development of rural water supply sources, such as drilling artesian wells, improvement and protection of springs, construction of piped water system and the initiation of campaigns to provide excreta disposal facilities on a national scale. These sanitary facilities are part of a total health program intended to bring to the people better medical care, improved disease prevention and health promotion. WATER SUPPLIES Records as of June 1958 showed that there are some 14,870 separate water supply sources developed, maintained and operated by the government, serving approximately 9,243,000 people or about 41.0 percent of the total population. Tables I to III give a breakdown of water supply sources classified into piped water systems (i.e. with distribution system), "artesian" wells and improved springs. These tables were compiled from records and reports of the National Watenvorks and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA). the Division of Sanitation and the Section of Epidemiology and Vital Statistics of the Bureau of Health. Data on other individual water sources which commonly include open dug wells, driven wells provided with open pitcher pumps and other types are not included because they are not available for reference. These latter sources however, 171 172 ACTA llEDICA. PBILIPPJNA are eousid~ llQt. llAtisf~'11 11!1-Qi <\rinking wat.e. 1lllless the water is previously bojJed 0.l' treated with some suitable disinfectant. TABLE I-STATUS OF ~~ED WATER SYSTEMS IN TBtl PBILIPRnll!S INDIVJDUAL SYSTEM POPULATION SERVED FISCAL YEAR Number Cumulative Number Cumu1ative Total (lOOO's) Total (1000'&) Before 1954-1966 427 427 2,'786 2.'186 1954-1966 61 "' 64 2,860 1966-1956 66 644 260 8,100 1956-1967 51 ••• 826 3,426 1957-1968 76 671 62 3,488 Note: Estimated population served is rounded to the nearest 1000, The Manila and suburbs waterworks system (formerly the Metropolitan Water District) is excluded from this tabulation. TABLE II-STATUS OF "ARTESIAN" WELLS IN THE PHILIPPINES• POPULATION SERVED INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS FISCAL YEAR (lOOO's) Cumulative Cumulative Number Total Number Total Before 1954-1966ll 8,281 3,281 820 820 1954-1966 1,816 4,697 329 1,149 1955-1956 2,694 7,291 674 1,823 1956-1957 8,884 11,176 971 2,784 1957-1958 2,416 13,590 ... 3,398 Note: Estimated population served is rounded to the nearest 1000. SANITARY F4~1'8 IN. 'PBE PIULIPPINES 173 x Artesian wella in tbia U.bui!A\i.,D rei!IJ'< to frei?-fl11wiug wella ~ lfWI 1\8 non-free fi(t~I{ welJ,s. No. dietin~on is made between true artesian wells and deep or shallow wells, :u: Number of "artesian" wells before th,e fiacaJ. year 1954-1955 does not include some 4,700 dug and open-piteher pump wells constructed before the war 88 they are not considered satisfaetory drinking water SOUfC98 unJess treatment ia made. TABLE Ill-STATUS OF IMPROVED SPRINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES POPULATION SERVED INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS (IOOO's) FISCAL YEAR - Number Cumulative Cumulative Tot.al Number Total Before 1954-1955 40 40 36 36 1964-1956 56 96 49 85 1955-1956 98 I 194 63 148 1966-1957 108 302 66 214 1!)57-1958 314 616 191 405 Note: Estimated population served is rounded to the nearest 1000. TABLE IV- YEARLY ESTIMATED POPULATION SERVED BY THE MANILA AND SUBURBS WATERWORKS (FORMERLY THE MANILA METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT)" YEAR POPULATION SERVED June 30, 191i4 - 1,664,000 June 30, 1956 - 1,736,000 June 30, 1956 - 1,808,000 June 30, 1957 - 1,880,000 June 30, i9&8 - 1,952,000 Note: Popu1ation served rounded to the nearest 1000. " n is estimated that 80% of the people within the wat:er district are ; ; served by the waterworks. 174 AClA MEDICA PHILIPPINA TABLE V-SUMMARY OF POPULATION SERVED BY INDIVIDUAL WATER SYSTEMS IN THE PHILIPPINES, 19M-1U68. YEAR Estimated Estimated p...,.., (June 30) Population Served Total Population Population Served .... 6,306,000 21,180,000 26.0 .... 6,820,000 21,518,000 2'1.0 1966 6,879,000 21,867,000 81.6 1967 8,314,000 22,196,000 87.6 1958 9,243,000 22,634,000 41.0 Note: E11timated populations rounded to the nearest 1000. TABLE VI-SUMMARY OF INDMDUAL WATER SYSTEMS IN THE PffiLIPPINES, 1958. TYPES NUMBER Piped Water Sys. 671 ''Artesian" wells 13,690 Improved springs 616 TOTAL 14,877 Tables V and VI give summaries of the total population served by the different types of water supply sources and the total number of individual systems under each type. Tables VII and VIII show the status of water quality of the individual water supply sources as determined by physical, chemical and bacteriological examinations. Records of the Bureau of Health (Water Analysis Station) show that more than one-fourth (26.6%) of all water samples submitted for bacteriological examination indicate positive results (up to completed test) for coliform, as of May 1959. Records as of June 1959 show that about one-fifth (18.2%) of all water samples submitted for physical and chemical examinations did not satisfy standards set up by the Bureau of Health. SANITARY FACILITIES IN TBE PHILIPPINES 175 TABLE Vil-RESULTS OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL EXAlrDNA· TIONS OF WATER SAMPLES, MANILA WATER ANALYSIS STATION, JULY 1958 - JUNE 1959, Pereent of Source of Water Total Samples Samples Found Sam.plea Found Sample Examined Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory Piped Wat.el' System 295 12 4.1 Springs • 1 12.5 Artesian wells 27 • 33.3 Deep wells 104 •• 44.2 Shallow wells 28 16 6'1.1 TOTAL 462 .. 18.2 Note: Individual water systems usually examined for physical and chemical properties. TABLE VIII-RESULTS OF BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS OF WATER SAMPLES, BUREAU OF HEALTH WATER ANALYSIS STATIONS, JULY 1968 - MAY 1969. Souroe of WateJ' Tot.al Samples Samples Positive Percent Sample Examined Coliform Positive Piped Wat.el' System 7,613 1,666 22.8 Springs 187 10'1 57.2 Artesian wells 1,881 '" 29.6 Deep wells .,. • •• 50.3 Shallow wells 1,067 ... 27.8 TOTAL 11,611 3,063 26.6 Note: Piped wateJ' systems have about ten samples each; otheJ'8 usuall~· sampled fol' bacteriologice1 exo.mination once a year. EXCRETA DISPOSAL Compiled reports of ProvinciaJ and City Health Officer:o illi. the Bureau of Health show that there are some 1,996,65(1 ei:Creta disposal units in the Philippines (excluding the cit:.· 176 ACTA IWBDICA 'PBILIPPINA of '.Ma!llla) as of tit• end of 1958. It is """"'8ted that tlll!re are some 3,853,560 families in 1958 (except '.Manila), so that there about 61.8 percent or a little more than one out of every two families with a reported excreta disposal system. Said excreta disposal s;vsmms are classified as septic tanks, antiPolo system, bored-hole latrines, or other sanitary systems. Septic tanks usually do not have any further treatment (secondary treatment) for the effluent and the reported other sanitary systems may not be satisfactory at all, so that the actual percentage of families with sanitary means of excreta disposal ie probably much less than 50 percent. Table IX gives the breakdown of excreta disposal systems according to type from 1964 to 1968 in the Philippines. TABllE IX- SUIUIARY OF EXCRETA DISPOSAL SYSTEM'S, PHILIPPINES, 1964-1958.:.: - T Y P E · 1191>4 1966 1966 1967 1958 Septic tanks 113,953 74,446 89,HR> 92,268 97,l'i10 Antipolo S78'ems ! 467 ,083 492,370 620,208 636,468 561,549 Hored-ho1e Latrine 6,234 8,893 10,131 10,267 ..... Other Sanitary 1.a'9;.41 ......... 1,088,141 1,176,392 1,377,100 1,431,243 ------- -----------TOTAL 1,625,411 1,761,100 1,996,629 2,070,231 1,996,660 ----------~-----------Estimated Total No. of 8,622,170 3,680,020 3,737,860 8,796,710 3,863,660 Families ----·----1----1---- -------Percent of Families with Excreta Dis- 44.9 posal Facilities 47.6 ~ Excladlng the City of lflanll•. 53.4 54.6 61.8 SANITARY FACIL1TIES IN THE PHILIPPINES 177 REFUSE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL The collection and disposal of refuse in the different towns in the Philippines is generally a function of the Mayor's Office, the local health unit or the public works department. In the city of Manila, a City Department of Public Services undertalces the collection and disposal of refuse. The cities of Iloilo and Tacloban handle their refuse by contractual ser,•ices. Refuse in cities and the larger towns is usually disposed of by the landfill or open dump method whenever low, spacious and cheap land suitable for dumping is available. The garbage portion of refuse is commonly used for hog and other animal feeding. This is especially true in the smaller towns of the country where refuse disposal is the responsibility of the individual household. Combustible materials are either burned or buried in the ground. The Bureau of Agricultural Extension has initiated a program of small scale composting in rural areas with the help of school teachers. So far, available information on refuse collection and disposal in the different t.Owns is very scanty. REFUSE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL IN 'ril:E CITY OF MANILA The city of Manila produces an average of 850 cubic meters or 280 tons of refuse daily. The collection and disposal of this refuse is undertaken by the City Department of Public Services. For purposes of collection, the city is divided into fifty-one (51) districts and each district is of such size th.at one truck with a complement of four ( 4) personnel could cover the whole area in eight hours. Collection of refuse is done daily in residential districts and two to three times during the <lay only in market places. As a means to improve the efficiency of collection and to instill civic cleanliness into the city inhabitants, an anti4 1itter campaign and other communities in the country have followed suit. However, the. collection of :;weepings from some minor streets is complicated by the presence of animal-drawn vehicles. A landfill method is used for the disposal of the refuse of ?4.anila. The present dumping ground is located in Tondo, a loW area near Manila Bay. The refuse is covered with saw· 178 ACTA MEDICA PBJLIPPINA dust, handsprayed daily and power-sprayed twice a week with DDT to control flies and other vermin. The refuse disposal problem of the city of Manila appears to be the inavailabilicy of suitable dumping grounds. The low areas within economical hauling distances, suitable for dumping refuse are being filled quite fast. The city administration therefore created an Advisory Committ.ee to study the refuse collection and disposal problem of the city and studies are underway to determine the economical and practical refuse disposal method for the refuse of Manila with the unavai1ability of dumping grounds. A pilot composting plant is being set up to assess its practicability a~ a disposal method for the refuse of Manila. SEWAGE DISPOSAL lN THE CITY OF MANILA The city of Manila is served by a sewerage system which was in operation since 1909. About one-third of the city is oonnected to this sewerage system. ·Financial considerations and topographical conditions in some areas however, delay the needed expansion of the city's sewerage services. Two-thirds of the city therefore, have to depend on individual septic tanks, septic wells and pail privies for the disposal of their sewage or excreta. The sewerage system of Manila disposes its sewage load into the Manila Bay without prior t1·eatment. The system is under the administration of the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA). The septic tanks, septic wells and pail privies are however under the administration of the City Department of Public Services. Septic tanks may be constructed by homeowners in unsewered areas in accordance with standard plans prepared by the city. It is however to be noted that septic tank effluents are being disposed. into the streets gutters without prior· treatment and thereby pose potential contamination hazards to the public. Septic well type toilets may be constructed in unsewered areas when the assessed value of the building does not exceed P3000 and P5000 when the buiJding is located in sewered areas. The same public health hazard is encountered with this type of sewage disposal in the city. Records of the city Department of Public Services indicate that there are some 13, 720 septic well toilets serving approximately 68,600 people or about 5.5 percent of the city population, as of 1956. SA.NITAltY l?ACILITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES i79 BuildingS located in unsewered areas having . an· aiSessed value less than PlOOO are required by City Ordinance to have at least a private pail installation for excreta disposal, A charge of PG.00 per month is made for such service. Coliection of pail privies is done daily by coUectors who bring the pails to the nearest pail deposits to be transported to disposal stations at night. The contents of the pails are dumped finally into the sewers at the pumping stations. Records of the Department of Public Services show that as of 1956, there are about 3,388 pails serving approximately 16,900 people. PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SURVEY OF HOUSEHOLDS In a surve~· of households undertaken by the National Economic Council and the Bureau of Census and Statistics on a national scale in 1956, part of the data collected inc1uded the sources of drinking water, types of toilet facilities and the methods of refuse disposal. Tables X to XII give the percentage distribution of households classified according to th<> above criteria. TABLE X- PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR THE PHILIP· PINES, URBAN AND RURAL: MAY 1956. Source of Drinking Water Philippines Urban Rural All Sounes (thousands) 3,812 1,269 2,643 Percent 100.0 100.0 100.0 Shallow well, unprotected 26.6 9.4 36.3 Shallow well, pi-ole<"ted 5.4 4.2 6.0 Springs 12.6 4.5 16.6 Drilled wells, free flowing 4.0 6.2 3.3 Drilled wells, pitcher pump 24.0 21.0 26.li Rivers, streams and Jakes 3.6 2.7 3.9 Stond rain wnte1· 3.0 :J.O 3.0 Munidp•l pipod ""'" 'Y'''ml 19.6 48.8 6.0 Othe1'!1 0.8 0.8 0.8 ~t ~ported 0.6 0.4 0.6 180 ACTA MEDICA PBILIPPINA The Bulletin of the Philippine Statistical Survey of Households states, "About one-third (32%) of all households etiU depe,nd on shallow wells for their drinking water, three-tenths (28%) on artesian wells, and one-fifth (19.6%) on municipal piped water systems. One out of 25 households still depend on rivers, streams and lakes as their source of drinking water. However, three-fourths (75%) of all households in urban areas have artesian wens or municipal piped water system as their ·source of drinking water compared with only one-third (33.8%) in rural areas. More than one-half (57.9%) of all households living in rural areas depend on shallow wells or sprinP · 8.s the source of drinking water." Are a TABLE XI- PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE OF TOILET FACILITIES, FOR THE PHILIP· PINES, URBAN AND RURAL: MAY 1956, Total Households Percent of Total by Type of Toilet Facilities I~~.:;;: ~ee;; 0ti~n ~::!- ~p~; Flush s:S~m None Others Not -Ph-il-ip-pi-n•-,----~--,,-,.-.-l--10-0-.0-l--27-.3- 13.0 &.< --.:61:3--..:6 o:1 o:7 Metropolitan Manila 292 ~--"4.7 O:S ---;:3 62.8 ~ ~ -=-o:t Proper 176 100.0 0.2 ~ ---U-- -"69.6 !U ""'16.9--=-- - Suburbs 116 100.0 11.4 8.3 16.9 43.8 6.6 12.8 - U.a Urban (Excluding Metro- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - politan Manila) 977 I 100.0 I 28.0 21.2 8.3 8.0 0.9 33.1 (x) o.• Rural 2,543 I 100.0 I 29.6 10.8 IO:SIO:Sl--.:2162.Slo:tl---.:9 (:II) Less than 0.1 percent 181 182 ACTA MEDICA PHILIPPINA The Bulletin of Philippine Statistical Survey of Households states, "Only a little more than one-fourth ·(26.0%) of all households are said to be using sanitary toilet facilities (Antipolo System, Sanitary Pit, and Flush System). About forty.five precent (44.5%) reported no fixed toilet facilities. More than one-half ( 52.3 % ) of the households living in rural areas were reported in this ci.tegory. Almost seventy percent (67.9%) of households living in Metropolitan Manila use Antipolo, Sanitary pit or Flush System, while about thirteen percent (12.Go/o) still use the pail system." TABLE XII- PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY REFUSE DISPOSAL FACILITIES, FOR THE PWLIPPINES, URBAN AND RURAL: MAY 1956, ·--· .. Refuse Disposal Facilities Philippine& Urban Rmal Bouaebolda (thousandsj 3,812 1,269 2,643 Percent 100.0 100.0 100.0 Burning 46.4 41.2 49.0 Compost pit 6.8 7.0 6.0 Throw-out I 34.'1 26.0 39.6 Collected I 9.8 23.6 2.2 Others 2.6 2.6 2,7 Not reported 0.6 0.7 •.. "About one-half ·(46.49'o) of all households dispose of their refuse by burning, one-third, by throwing it out, one-tenth have it co11ected and one-sixteenth collect it in compost pits. Almost one out of four households (23.5%) living in urban areas have their refuse collected while the same number just throw it out," the Philippine Statistical Survey of Households Bulletin concJudes. Tables XIII and XIV give estimates of cost of sanitary facilities in the Philippines for a family of five and for a group of five to ten households. Data on average cost of "artesian" wells were obtained from the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority and from the Division of Sanitation of the Bureau of Health. SANITARY FACILITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES 183 TABLE XIIl-ESTIMATED COST OF SANITARY FACILITIES IN THE PIDLIPPINES, 1959. Sanitary Facility .\, SHALLOW DUG WELL with sixineh concrete casing at least lO ft. deep ••••.......•.. 1. Open without pump 2. Covered and provided with a self-priming hand pump B. TOILETS - 1. Septic tank 2. Antipolo Toilet ..... 3. Pit Privy •...... 4. Bored-hole latrine For a Family For a Group of Five of 6-10 Houses Pl50 .... P660-P660 P300 r •• PlSO .... p 160 Pl,500 p 600 p 750 p 160 p 460 TABLE XIV-AVERAGE COST OF COMMUNITY "ARTESIAN WELi.'' FOR 250 PEOPLE, 1959. Depth of Well in Feet 20- 30 ft. Driven 10- 60 ft. Drilled 60-100 ft. 100-200 ft. 200-300 ft. SOG---400 ft. Estimated Cost p 160 p 960-Pl,350 Pl,350--Pl,860 Pl,860--P3,050 P3,050-P5,700 P5,700-P7,100 The National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) is the government agency charged with the construction, operation and maintenanoe of waterworks and sewerage systems in the Philippines. This government corporation was created by Republic Act 1383. It now owns and/or has jurisdiction, supervision and control over all territory formerly embraced by the Metropolitan Water District as well as all areas 3erved by existing government-o\vned waterworks, sewerage and 4lrainage systems in the Philippines. Its jurisdiction ex184 ACTA MEDICA PBILIPPINA tends to the construction, maintenance, operation and control of nonself-supporting and/or nonrevenue producing water systems and sanitary works whether undertaken at the expense of the Authority or through subsidy of the National Government. However, there are a number of cities that have contested the constitutionality of this Act and have refused to submit to its authority. REFERENCES 1. Records of the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority, lllanila. 2. Annual Report of the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority. 1965-1956, 1966-1967 & 1967-1968. 3. Philippines (Republic). Bureau of Health. Annual Report, 1954-1966, 1955-1966, 1966-1967, 1967-1968. 4. BRILLANTES, CONCEPCION, SUAREZ and LESACA. The Collection, Disposal and Utilization of Organic Wastes in the Philippines. (WHO Western Pacific Regional Conference Working Paper, tmpublished). 6. Philippines (Republic). National Economic Council and Bureau of Census and Statistics. The Philippine Statistical Survey of Househ0Td11 Bulletin. Series No. 2 vol. 1, May 1966.
pages: 171-184