It is recalled that last October 1, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation 595 declaring September 26 of every year as “World Environmental Health Day” in the Philippines. The said issuance mandates the Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health (IACEH), through its lead agencies, the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to promote the observance of World Environmental Health Day (WEHD) across the country and enjoin all other national government agencies and instrumentalities to cooperate with the IACEH in advocating and implementing programs and activities pursuant to goals of the Proclamation. The institutionalization of the WEHD in the country is the legacy of the Philippines as chair of the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Health and Environment from 2016 to 2019. In observance of this year’s WEHD, the DOH and DENR will again lead its celebration on September 26, 2019 with the theme “Malusog na Kapaligiran, Sandigan ng Tunay na Pag- Unlad.” Relatedly, the DOH will formally award during the event the Certificate of Water Safety Plan (WSP) Acceptance to water districts that submitted their WSP and complied with the WSP Acceptance Evaluation.

This year Lianga Water District’s WSP has been duly endorsed by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and accepted by DOH for issuance of the Certificate, thus, conferred LIWAD as one of two water districts in Surigao del Sur having been complied the requirements for WSP. The Certificate of Water Safety Plan (WSP) Acceptance for Lianga Water District was attended by General Manager Wilfredo G. Sanchez during World Environmental Health Day (WEHD) on September 26, 2019 at the Arctic-Lagoon Hall, Hotel H2O, Manila. The said certificate is equivalent to that of the ISO certification, thus, LIWAD is now a certified water service provider that meets all the requirements and quality assurance of water.