To empower communities, the Philippine Red Cross-ZC chapter and the city government spearheaded the conduct of Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) crash course for Ayala and Recodo community workers.

The activity forms part of the continuous implementation of the program dubbed Promotion of Green and Circular Economy through Civil Society Engagement and Good Governance in Highly Urbanized Coastal Cities in the Philippines, a joint undertaking firmed up through a memorandum of agreement entered into by Mayor John Dalipe and Red Cross Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang last year.

The PHAST is a participatory learning process that seeks to empower communities to improve hygiene behaviors, reduce diarrheal disease and encourage effective community management water and sanitation services.

The day-long crash course, held at the Red Cross Board roomin Pettit Barracks last June 7 concluded with the distribution of PHAST kits which the participants will use when they roll out PHAST sessions in their respective communities.

Ayala and Recodo to include Cawit, Tulungatung, San Roque, Sta. Catalina, Baliwasan and Maasin are the barangays identified for the program implemented by the PRC-ZC chapter and the city government. (Sheila Covarrubias)