OPEN defecation practices, particularly in rural areas, continue, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA data showed open defecation is practiced on average at 2.6 percent based on the 2022 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS). This, however, is lower than the 3.5 percent posted in 2020 in the APIS.
Open defecation was at its highest in rural areas at 4 percent, lower than the 5.8 percent in 2020. However, this was significantly higher than the 1.2 percent open defecation in urban areas which was also lower than the 1.6 percent in 2020.
“(Open defecation is the) disposal of human faeces in fields, forests, bushes, open bodies of water, beaches and other open spaces or with solid waste,” PSA said.
In 2022, about 84 percent of families had basic sanitation service level or used an improved sanitation facility that is not shared with another household.
Moreover, about one out of 10 families (10.8 percent) had a limited service level or was using an improved sanitation facility but shared with two or more households.
The rest of the families had an unimproved service level (2.7 percent), and no sanitation facility or they practiced open defecation (2.6 percent).
BARMM tops list
Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had the highest percentage of families practicing open defecation with no toilet facility at 9.7 percent.
This was followed by Region V or the Bicol region at 8.1 percent and Region VI or Western Visayas at 7.1 percent.
The data also showed regions with the lowest percentage of families with basic service sanitation facilities were BARMM at 51.6 percent; Region XII-Soccsksargen, 73.8 percent; and Region VII-Central Visayas, 76.3 percent.
The top three regions with the highest percentage of families with basic service sanitation facilities were Region III-Central Luzon (92.5 percent), Region IVA-Calabarzon (90.4 percent), and Region II-Cagayan Valley (89.8 percent).
By residence, urban areas (84.6 percent) and rural areas (83.3 percent) had almost equal percentages of families with access to basic sanitation facilities. However, the percentage of rural families practicing open defecation (4 percent) was higher than in urban areas (1.2 percent).
Across regions, the top three regions with the highest percentage of families with basic service sanitation facilities were Region III-Central Luzon (92.5 percent), Region IVA-Calabarzon (90.4 percent), and Region II-Cagayan Valley (89.8 percent).
On the other hand, regions with the lowest percentage of families with basic service sanitation facilities were BARMM (51.6 percent), Region XII-Soccsksargen (73.8 percent), and Region VII-Central Visayas (76.3 percent).
In addition, BARMM had the highest percentage of families practicing open defecation with no toilet facility (9.7 percent), followed by Region V-Bicol (8.1 percent) and Region VI-Western Visayas (7.1 percent).