The first ecosan urine-diversion dry toilet (UDDT) pilot project for the school in an island Barangay was inaugurated and formally turned-over on January 11, 2007 to the Nocnocan Elementary School in Nocnocan Island , Talibon, Bohol . The beneficiaries of the said pilot project are the Grade-II pupils who are under Mrs. Jocelyn A. Cabanes, Teacher-in-Charge.

The affair was attended by the Municipal Mayor of Talibon, Hon. Juanario Item; representative of the DepED Division Superintendent, Mr. Florencio Talan a Division Supervisor on the Adopt a School Program; Talibon DepED personnel headed by Jesus Descallar-District II Supervisor, Dr. Percy Torres-Principal, Ma. Lourdes Ruiz-Head Teacher of Nocnocan Elementary School and Boholito Valmoria-Cluster Head of Talibon II; Barangay Officials of Nocnocan Island led by Brgy. Captain Ernesto Cellan.

Mr. Vince Delector, Jr. represented the GTZ Water and Sanitation Program in behalf of Ms. Ulrike Lipkow, Program Adviser and from the Provincial Government thru the Bohol Integrated Water Resources Management Team (BIWRMT) which was represented by Romeo Cabanes-Provincial Chief Sanitarian (PHO), Engr. Edgar Petallar-Pollution Control Officer (BEMO), and Artemio Alo of PPDO.

Ecological sanitation is a system that turns human waste into something useful and valuable, with minimum risk of environmental pollution and no threat to human health. Following treatment, ecosan products can be re-used in agriculture as fertilizer, soil conditioner or simply for irrigation. The main objectives of ecosan are: to improve sanitation facilities and people’s health; and close the loop between sanitation and agriculture. Groundwater resources will be protected from pollution by coliform bacteria.

The honorable Mayor Item of Talibon in his speech expressed his gratitude to the GTZ Water and Sanitation Program and BIWRMT for the technical assistance given to Nocnocan Island . He also commended the efforts of DepED who heartedly supported the school for the realization of the project. The Mayor strongly supported this initiative and he wanted that ecosan project to be replicated not only in Nocnocan Island but also to the mainland of Talibon.

Mr. Florencio Talan, Division Supervisor on Adopt a School Program, representing the School Division Superintendent – Dr. Cerina C. Bolos – encouraged the school teachers and Personnel to replicate this concept in their respective schools in Talibon. He even convinced the teaching staff to have their cluster meeting in Nocnocan Island for other teachers to appreciate the ecosan pilot project.

The ecosan UDDT project was well accepted by the island community with the utmost support from the Barangay Officials headed by Barangay Captain Cellan.

Members of a People’s Organization called SPERMA from mainland Talibon together with some of the Barangay Officials led by their Barangay Captain of San Pedro, Talibon also visited the ecosan pilot project in Nocnocan Island during its inauguration and turn-over ceremonies. This group is assisted by an NGO called PROCESS-Bohol to implement 8 units of ecosan UDDT in their area. The GTZ Water and Sanitation Program in coordination with the BIWRMT already started providing technical assistance in the implementation of ecosan UDDT in the barangay San Pedro, Talibon.

This ecosan pilot project was made possible through the technical assistance provided by the GTZ Water and Sanitation Program and in coordination with the BIWRMT through Mr. Romeo Cabanes of PHO and Engr. Hermilo Arcaya, BIWRM Team Leader.