Creating healthier communities in GenSan
Communities of Badjao folk in Bawing Village, General Santos City now enjoy improved hygiene and sanitation after receiving new facilities last September.
They are among the 3,000 residents who are now benefiting from the sanitation facilities provided to five barangays that had long endured problems in water and sanitation. Aside from Bawing, the barangays include San Isidro, Ligaya, Tinagacan and Calumpang.
Pressing concern
Access to clean water and sanitation remains a pressing concern. The United Nations reported that in 2022, 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation, including 1.5 billion who had no basic sanitation services.
The 2020 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) revealed that some 16 percent of Filipino households had limited or no access to sanitation facilities. The statistics are even more dire for SOCCSKSARGEN, where General Santos belongs. Only 73.8 percent of families there have access to basic sanitation facilities.
Poor sanitation is linked to the transmission of cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid, among others. It contributes to the incidence of diarrhea, which can lead to death. In SOCCSKSARGEN, it saw the return of polio as well.
All the facts and figures show how the gap is a development issue. The World Bank cautioned that inadequate access to water and sanitation perpetuates poverty, among others, because sickness leads to medical expenses and inability to work.
Sustainable sanitation
The installation of sanitation facilities aligns with the Philippine Approach to Total Sanitation (PhATS), a nationwide initiative that promotes improved hygiene and sanitation practices. PhATS emphasizes sustainable sanitation practices to prevent waterborne diseases and improve overall public health.
To further boost development in San Isidro village, a Dressmaking and Tailoring Training Center offers much-needed skills training. Opened in June, the center now serves a second batch of trainees.
The center collaborates with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to provide NC II Certification in dressmaking. Through the courses, many solo parents and women obtained know-how for sustainable employment or entrepreneurship.
Series of initiatives
BingoPlus Foundation, the social development arm of DigiPlus Interactive, is responsible for the series of initiatives in General Santos. Both are KalusuganPLUS and KabuhayanPLUS projects, respectively, aiming to sustainably empower vulnerable communities.
Celeste Jovenir, DigiPlus vice president for Investor Relations and BingoPlus Foundation COO, shared: “BingoPlus Foundation’s mission goes beyond providing aid; we’re here to uplift communities facing the toughest social challenges, from health and sanitation, to livelihood, in General Santos and beyond.”
“Through KalusuganPLUS and KabuhayanPLUS, we’re empowering individuals to rise above their circumstances and build a future full of hope and opportunity,” she added.
