School Toilets

DPWH admits only 18 school toilets constructed due to lack of funds

Due to lack of funds, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has only constructed 18 toilets which were identified in 2007, according to a DPWH official.

Engineer Ric Mobo, a member of the DPWH task force on school buildings, said they only follow the instructions of the Department of Education (DepEd).

He admitted that due to the shortage of funds, they often cancel the construction of toilets in schools and just focus on building classrooms.

Since mid-2007 to May 31 this year, the DPWH said it has constructed 18 toilets, or the total number of toilets identified for completion in 2007.

“Not all school buildings have toilets. (But) we only follow the specifications of the DepEd, and usually if there is only a limited budget, the toilets are the first to be cut. The priority are the classrooms,” he said.

Toilets also entail additional costs, “because before you construct these (toilets), there is a need for water supply, and this adds to the cost of the school buildings,” Mobo added.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) earlier expressed concern over the DepEd’s neglect of sanitation in the 43,000 public schools where there is a severe shortage of toilets and hand-washing facilities that could expose the more than 19 million public school students to diseases.

“The national toilet bowl to pupil ratio stands at 1:51 in elementary schools and 1:102 in high schools. In ARMM, it’s 1:171 in elementary and 1:250 in high schools, while in NCR, it’s 1:114 and 1:143,” ACT said.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080621165


With the above scenario, school children will have no choice but to use the bushes as a toilet. The lack of school toilets and water is one of many obstacles to the young children wanting to have a decent education. This lack of the most basic sanitation requirement of a school should be addressed soonest. The gov't has money for junkets but has no money for the school toilets?