Manila Water Foundation kicks off month-long 19th anniversary celebration

As part of its month-long 19th anniversary celebration, Manila Water Foundation, in partnership with National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, led a WASH Aralan session on proper hand washing and toothbrushing for young Muslims at the Blue Mosque in Taguig City

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Water Foundation, the social development arm of Manila Water Company, kicked off its month-long celebration of its 19th anniversary this February, spearheading several projects and programs to champion Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) across the Philippines with the theme “Celebrating Ripples of WASH.”

MWF began a milestone partnership with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). A WASH Aralan session on proper hand washing and toothbrushing for young Muslims was held and was capped off with the donation handover of 25 WASHup! Hand Washing stations for 25 “madaris” in Metro Manila.

“Madaris” is the plural for “madrasah”, a community-based educational institution where young Muslims learn Arabic and the fundamentals of Islam.

After the WASH Aralan session, MWF handed over refrigerated drinking fountains for the Muslim worshippers at the Blue Mosque in Taguig City, and the Salam Mosque in Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

Manila Water Foundation and the Manila Water QC Service Area also supported the Quezon City Health Department Dental Division as it kicked off the celebration of National Oral Health Month with the theme “Building a Healthy Smile in QC”, earlier this month.

The activity was led by Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, QC Councilors, and QC Health Department Officer-In-Charge Dr. Ramona Abarquez. They visited the dental bus, the toothbrushing bins and hydration station to promote the importance of good oral health.

Manila Water arranged toothbrushing bins and hydration stations for the said event.

Day Care learners received an oral care and hydration kit from MWF containing a toothbrush and a water tumbler, while their mothers received info-education materials on proper hand washing and proper toothbrushing.

Spreading love for Valentine’s Day, Manila Water Foundation trooped to the LRT-2 Antipolo Station for Love, Linis at Ligtas sa LRT-2.

The MWF team set up WASHup! Handwashing Stations for commuters to wash their hands and protect them from germs. The team also handed out boxes of Ascorbic Acid Poten-Cee from Pascual Laboratories and Happy Meal toys from Ronald McDonald House Charities.

To close the activity, Manila Water Foundation handed over 50 boxes of Poten-Cee to the Antipolo City Health Department with Manila Water’s Rizal Service Area.

MWF also handed over 50 boxes of Ascorbic Acid Poten-Cee for the dedicated nurses and staff at the National Center for Mental Health.

Outside Metro Manila, together with the Sitio Sapang Munti community leaders, MWF launched “Kalingang Kalikasan para sa Kinabukasan” with the residents of the Ipo Watershed in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

The campaign deepens the sense of environmental stewardship among the community members and links WASH to environmental health.

“Kalingang Kalikasan para sa Kinabukasan” is an important initiative as Sitio Sapang Munti cares for the watershed that supplies water for millions of individuals in Metro Manila.

Manila Water Wastewater Compliance Manager Von dela Cruz served as a resource speaker and reminded the community to practice proper waste management.

To mark the start of the campaign, the chieftain and community leaders signed the draft of a Community Waste Management Resolution to serve as a guide and policy towards better environmental stewardship.

Through the “recyclables exchange” activity, the community collected 7 kilograms of dry waste and MWF, in exchange donated trash bags, brooms and reusable ecobags.

The participants also received boxes of Ascorbic Acid + Zinc Poten-Cee vitamin supplements from MWF valued partner, Pascual Laboratories.

“Kalingang Kalikasan para sa Kinabukasan” prepares the community for the sanitation phase, where family toilets will be constructed for households within the Ipo Watershed.

Last week, MWF, in partnership with Prime Infrastructure Foundation and Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, held a groundbreaking event to begin the water system project at the Katutubo Village in Porac, Pampanga.

Community and partner representatives laid a time capsule with copies of the infrastructure blueprint and community baselining results.

The event was capped with a ceremonial hand washing to symbolize the project’s goal of improving WASH in the Katutubo Village.

Also part of the program is to engage a community WASH group in Ipo, to ensure the maintenance and protection of the community WASH systems.

This WASH project aims to improve water access for 257 families in the Aeta community in Barangay Planas.