South-Eastern Philippines HEAL-PIT Gets CLTS-Trained

A total of 19 members of the South-Eastern Philippines HEAL-PIT, joined by 10 Barangay Council members, participated in the Trainers’ Training on Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) in May 10-14, 2011 at the IML Ecopark, Maasim, Sarangani Province.  The training-workshop, conducted by Engr. Ruben Pelones, Sanitary Engineer of the Provincial Health Office of Sarangani, aims to orient and train the participants on CLTS as a new approach on sanitation that addresses open defecation (OD).  The approach uses systematic triggering, focused on igniting a change in sanitation behavior rather than constructing toilets, hinged on the premise that shock, disgust, and shame will make people act to address OD.