The National Water Resources Board commended the Negros  Oriental government for addressing the water  sanitation problem, Executive  Director Ramon  Alikpala  said at the opening Wednesday of the Visayas-Mindanao Water Sanitation Summit, at the Negros Oriental Convention Center in  Dumaguete City.

The summit on the theme “Sharing our Contribution in Building a Strong Nation through Sustainable Sanitation,” gathered more than 100 local chief executives, health officers, planning and development officers from Visayas Regions 6, 7, and 8 and Region 10 in Mindanao.

It is in line  with  the  United  Nations  declaration of  2008  as  the  International Year of  Sanitation.

Director Paisal Abutazil of the Department of Interior and Local Government-Office of Project Development Services, said after the summit all observations and lessons learned will be presented during the national Sanitation Summit in  June  in  Clark, Manila.

Program Director Hanns-Bernd Kuchta of the German Technical Cooperation said the discussion on  sanitation  is  a  concern  that is  interrelated  to  all  other  sectors in  the government.

Vice Gov.  Jose  Baldado said that one of  the  efforts  of the  province  in  addressing  the  water  sanitation issue  is   the  creation of  a Provincial  Water  Resources Monitoring  Council.

Gov.  Emilio Macias II vowed to support the council and its program. The province and the GTZ have come up with a time-table and plan for sustainable sanitation program, he added.

The GTZ has provided the technical assistance in helping local government units create their sanitation and wastewater treatment facilities. The agreement between the German Government and the Philippines on addressing sanitation problems will end in 2009.*MA

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