Safeguard’s SAFE Wash In Schools Program Has Resulted In The Reopening Of Schools, Which Is A Big Win For NCR

Philippines, Manila – As Metro Manila prepares for the return of face-to-face sessions, school administrators face a dilemma: how can we comply with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) minimal hand hygiene regulations when we lack handwashing facilities? P&G’s Safeguard, in collaboration with the Manila Water Foundation (MWF), responded by contributing Php 70 million to build handwashing facilities in all 285 schools that failed to fulfill the DepEd’s Wash in Schools (WinS) hand hygiene standards. These public schools will be able to apply for reopening after meeting the Department of Education’s minimal star rating in the WinS Program.

The DepEd WinS Program is a three-star grading system that was implemented in 2016 to assess public schools in the areas of safe drinking water, gender-segregated toilets, group handwashing facilities with soap, daily group handwashing facilities, and access to sanitary pads. Safeguard was able to determine the handwashing regions rated the lowest across the board thanks to a pre-planning session, with Metro Manila surprising being one of the primary drivers of the grade.

This relationship with DepEd and MWF, according to P&G Communications Director Anna Legarda-Locsin, encourages students and teachers to “adopt excellent hygiene habits that will protect them from disease-causing germs and viruses while in school.” She went on to remark that everyone engaged in the initiative is looking forward to “seeing the outcome of this project, and the health, and the good that we can do in the community’s numerous schools.”

Jubail Pasia, Arnulfo Balane, Jeune San Juan, Rina Marino, and Mylene Catana (from left to right).

Jeune San Juan, the brand’s Communications Leader, explains how the SAFE Wash in Schools campaign aligns with Safeguard Philippines’ mission “We are also safeguarding the nation’s future by ensuring the daily health and cleanliness of our students and instructors. Allowing schools to reopen with handwashing stations is merely the first step toward instilling healthy habits in our children’s future.”

A rendering of a handwashing station in the works.

Mylene Catana, the principal of Don Galo Elementary School, stated that while the school now has a zero-star rating, she is confident that with the help of the SAFE Wash in School program, they will soon attain a two or three-star rating. “[Handwashing facilities] will assist us in receiving one, two, or three stars. We now have ample water and handwashing facilities for students to [wash their hands in] before entering the school and even after recess.”

In addition to the donation for the construction of additional handwashing facilities and the provision of water, Safeguard will provide soap to all of these schools in order to further the handwashing movement. To date, Safeguard and MWF have built 82 handwashing facilities in schools, with the goal of increasing that number to 332 by the end of the year.

Jose Victor Emmanuel de Dios, the CEO of Manila Water Company and president of Manila Water Foundation, expressed his thanks for this initiative led by P&G.
“On behalf of the Manila Water Foundation’s Board of Trustees, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to P&G Philippines, led by their president Mr. Raffy Fajardo, for entrusting the #SafeWashInSchools project to [Manila Water Foundation].”

Safeguard and MWF will begin distributing DepEd-approved educational modules to encourage handwashing behaviors in schools and at home in the coming months. This is part of an effort to make handwashing a habit and to incorporate it into the educational curriculum.

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