MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Education (DepEd) has tapped some 12,300 out-of-school youths (OSYs) to produce calamansi, guava and other health soaps for 1.3 million Central Luzon public school students, many of whom have head lice and skin diseases.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus Monday said the cash-in-soap program was expected to give livelihood to jobless youths amid the worsening global economic crisis, while addressing the health concerns of pupils in public schools.

"We are counting on some 12,300 OSYs to produce herb-based health soaps which we intend to distribute to schoolchildren suffering from various skin ailments in Tarlac and Pampanga," Lapus said in a statement.

He said the OSYs were trained on medicinal soap making by school health personnel, who in turn were trained by the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care.

The program falls under President Macapagal-Arroyo's Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).

The education secretary was assigned to oversee the implementation of various CLEEP projects in selected areas in Central Luzon.

CLEEP aims to mitigate the effects of the global economic crisis, and Cabinet secretaries serve as "stewards for various regions" and were assigned their respective priority projects.

Lapus said each OSY was expected to earn P4,000 for making 2,000 bars of soap during a 20-day period. Participants aim to produce a total of 24.6 million bars.

The soap production is scheduled for April-June and the soap bars are expected to be distributed to students in school-year 2009-2010.

"We will give these soaps to public elementary school pupils who will receive their year's supply of four bars of Citronella soap for their head lice, four bars of Acapulco or Guava soap to combat skin diseases and 12 bars of calamansi soap for personal hygiene," Lapus said.

Lapus lauded the program's "multiplier effect" on Central Luzon's local economy, especially during these hard times.

"It will lead to the creation of more jobs and the generation of additional income," he said, adding that the soap-making venture "can be a sustainable livelihood project."

"There is a real need to produce medicinal soap at a minimal cost to keep our schoolchildren free from head lice and skin diseases," he said.

Lapus also said that the distribution of the soap bars was part of the Essential Health Care Package funded by local government units. The package consists of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush and deworming tablets.

Studies show that 46 percent of children in Central Luzon have pediculosis or head lice while 40 percent have skin diseases, according to the education secretary.

Children with pediculosis and skin problems have been observed to feel shy and do not actively participate in class activities, according to Lapus.

Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Thelma Santos said the program was one of education department's initiatives to show "concern to our pupils and improve their participation and retention rates."

In 2008, the department tapped some 1,500 OSYs as utility workers in public schools.

Other CLEEP projects under Lapus' supervision include utility services in public schools; livestock dispersal; irrigation restoration; the construction of diversion dams; and cultivation of organic fertilizer in the first congressional district of Tarlac. Philip C. Tubeza