Manila Water readies hand hygiene facilities in time for school opening

Manila Water continues to promote water access, sanitation, and hygiene or WASH in schools in its service areas through the Lingap Eskwela program.

MANILA, Philippines – As schools reopen, mostly in a face-to-face class set-up, Manila Water Company, through the Manila Water Foundation, continues to champion water access, sanitation, and hygiene or WASH in schools in its service areas through the Lingap Eskwela program.

At the Maximo Estrella Senior High School in Makati City, Manila Water Foundation, together with its partner Rotary Club of Makati North, inaugurated a multi-faucet hand hygiene facility to promote handwashing for a safe learning environment for students and teachers.

Present during the inauguration were Manila Water Chief Regulatory Officer, MWF Chairperson and RCMN President Donato Almeda and MWF Executive Director Reginald Andal.

Schools in Taguig City and the municipality of Pateros likewise received hand hygiene facilities through the #SafeWASH program of MWF and P&G Safeguard Philippines.

29 sets of 10-faucet hand hygiene facilities were formally turned over to Taguig City and Pateros schools at the joint inauguration held at Ricardo P. Cruz Sr. Elementary School.

The event was graced by Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, MWSS Regulatory Office Chief Regulator Atty. Patrick Ty, Manila Water East Zone Business Operations (EZBO) OIC Group Director Shoebe Hazel Caong, and MWF Executive Director Reginald Andal.

In May, six sets of 10-faucet hand hygiene facilities were also turned over to schools in Pateros at the inauguration held at Pateros Elementary School.

Aside from construction and distribution of hygiene facilities, hygiene supplies and info-education materials were also distributed, and hygiene education sessions were conducted to inform students of proper handwashing and health protocols in schools.

This project is also in support of the WASH in Schools or WinS Program of the Department of Education and the BIDA Kid Campaign of the Department of Health.

Aside from hygiene facilities, Manila Water also provided technical assistance to more than 1,300 schools within its service areas which involves the checking of rest rooms, faucets and water meters, and construction of drinking fountains and wash areas. 

Manila Water also assures the public of adequate water supply for school opening with various supply augmentation projects completed such as the Cardona Water Treatment Plant and Marikina Potable Water Treatment Plant with a combined capability to provide an additional 120 million liters per day (MLD) in Manila Water’s service areas.

Emergency reservoirs were also constructed in various schools and are ready to be commissioned during emergencies.

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