An Assessment on the Effectiveness of the MMDA Male Urinals in Promoting Sanitation and Hygiene in Metro Manila

Abstract

The key informants of the study particularly those who are from the MMDA, claimed that there really is a prevailing sanitation problem in the Metro Manila thoroughfares and public places. According to them, the primary reason why MMDA implemented the male urinals project is because of the sanitation problem that plagues the Metro Manila areas. Moreover, the key informants claimed that the primary objective of the male urinals is to provide men with an alternative to the practice of urinating in public places in order to promote sanitation and hygiene in the major thoroughfares in Metro Manila. Prior studies on the sanitation of public places in Metro Manila were conducted by the MMDA Environmental Sanitation Department to see if there really was a need to solve the problem of the unhygienic practice of urinating in public places. The study showed that there is a recurring problem in sanitation. The MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando first installed the male urinals in Marikina City. After implementing the project for months, it resulted to a success that the male urinals are effective in promoting sanitation in the city’s public places and that a great number of men use these urinals, therefore reducing the incidences of males urinating in public places. The surveys also showed that the respondents fully understood that the objective of the project on male urinals is to provide men with proper facilities or places to use as an alternative to the practice of urinating in public places in order to promote sanitation and hygiene in the major thoroughfares in Metro Manila. 98% of the total respondents shared the same definition of the objective of the male urinals projects with that of the MMDA officials.