POOR sanitation costs the Philippines around P77.8 billion in economic losses, according to a new study commissioned to launch the International Year of Sanitation (IYS) on February 18.

The United Nations General Assembly designated 2008 the IYS to promote improved hygiene practices and action to provide proper sanitation for the 2.6 billion people who lack access to this basic human right. 

In a statement about the study, titled the “Economics of Sanitation Initiative,” the World Bank (WB) said health-care costs accounted for 71 percent of the total losses due to 38 million cases of diarrhea per year.

The WB also said that the economic losses of poor sanitation include 31 premature deaths per day and significant reductions in fisheries and tourism and other sectors as a result of poor sanitation.

However, the WB cited data from the World Health Organization (WHO) that for every dollar invested in proper sanitation, countries, including the Philippines, can earn around $9 in benefits.

Through the IYS, the WB and other international and local organizations, including some government agencies, would be able to promote better sanitary practices and policies. The launch of the IYS on February 18 will also be the venue for the full disclosure of the data included in the study.

During the event, the secretaries of the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will also present several new publications. These are the Operations Manual on the Rules and Regulations Governing Domestic Sludge and Seepage, published by the DOH, with support from the United States Agency for  International  Development  (USAID); Economic Impacts of Sanitation in the Philippines,  published by the World Bank Water and Sanitation Program,  with cofunding  from  USAID; and Sanitation Technology Information Kit, published by USAID, in cooperation with the League of Cities of the Philippines.

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said China remained keen on funding local projects despite the controversies hounding the now-scrapped national broadband network (NBN) government contract with Chinese company ZTE.

THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has suspended its new direct-hiring policy toward overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), apparently because of pressures from recruitment agencies and migrants themselves.

THE International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA) challenged the Philippines to take the lead in the production of genetically modified (GM) crops in Asia.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Canadian International Development Agency (Cida) has committed to support plans to unleash the full potential of the seaweed industry in the Southern Philippines, specifically in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

POOR sanitation costs the Philippines around P77.8 billion in economic losses, according to a new study commissioned to launch the International Year of Sanitation (IYS) on February 18.

CEBU CITY—The Korean Electric Co. (Kepco)-SPC Power Corp. (KSPC) consortium on Thursday held a groundbreaking ceremony to start the construction of its 200-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Naga City, south of Cebu City, while announcing that most of its expected output had already been contracted to distributors.

THE Philippines should be more assertive and creative in international trade, Sen. Edgardo Angara said, adding that the country should not just rely on international institutions and must instead pursue its own bilateral and multilateral trade.