Laguna Water, Manila Water Foundation lead 2016 Global Handwashing Day Celebration

Leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Global Handwashing Day booth in Solenad, Nuvali, Santa Rosa are Laguna Water Business Operations Head Sol N. Dimayuga, Santa Rosa City Mayor Dan Fernandez, Manila Water Foundation (MWF) Executive Director Carla B. Kim, Laguna Water External Affairs Manager Ana A. Martir, and MWF Program Manager Xavier G. Cruz.

Raising awareness to the public about the importance of proper handwashing, Laguna Water, in partnership with Manila Water Foundation, led celebrations for the 2016 Global Handwashing Day (GHD) in Laguna through two simultaneous events held in Solenad, Nuvali, Santa Rosa and Barangay Langkiwa, Biñan on October 13.

Every year, millions of people around the world suffer from diarrheal illnesses and respiratory infections. Diarrhea and Pneumonia have been identified as the leading causes of deaths of children worldwide. In the Philippines, pneumonia claims the lives of 37 Filipino children below five years old every year. Meanwhile, 13 children in the same age group die due to diarrhea. 

To help alleviate incidence of these communicable diseases, GHD instills the need for frequent handwashing with soap and the many benefits of this simple act to health and wellness of people.

With the theme “Make Handwashing a Habit”, this year’s celebration promotes the development of this life-saving measure into a habit for a healthier community. To make this routine of behavior effective, GHD encourages everyone to consistently practice this simple way of maintaining hand hygiene.

Championing this cause, Laguna Water and Manila Water Foundation set up a GHD booth in Solenad, Nuvali in Santa Rosa. Through the booth’s interactive learning activities, mall goers are taught of the principles and practices of proper handwashing. Those who visited the booth wrote their names on a hand-shaped sticker which they put on the GHD pledge wall in support of making handwashing a habit.

Showing his support to this global advocacy, Santa Rosa City Mayor Dan Fernandez highlighted in his message that handwashing is the simplest way to prevent the spread of diseases affecting health and education of school children while also having an indirect impact to the economy and other aspects of society.

Simultaneously, more than 1,000 community members were in attendance to the GHD event conducted in Barangay Langkiwa, Biñan. Educating the attendees about the importance of proper hygiene and sanitation, the program included demonstrations and actual handwashing activities. As a sign of their commitment to a cleaner, safer, and healthier lifestyle, participants placed their handprints on the GHD pledge wall.

Manila Water Foundation continues to help spread this advocacy. According to Manila Water Foundation Executive Director Carla Kim, GHD should not only be observed once a year but be a part of everyone’s daily routine. 

“Making handwashing a habit is not easy. It cannot be done overnight. To achieve this, we promote washing our hands with soap regularly especially before eating and after using the toilet,” said Laguna Water’s External Affairs Manager, Ana Martir.

Started in 2008, GHD is a campaign aiming to encourage millions of people around the world to wash their hands with soap. Yearly, more than 200 million people from over 100 countries join in the celebration of this global initiative. 

Laguna Water is a successful public-private partnership between the Provincial Government of Laguna and Manila Water Philippine Ventures, a wholly-owned company by Manila Water Company Inc. (Manila Water), the Ayala-led water service provider in the East Zone of Metro Manila and a leader in the water industry in the Philippines, with presence in Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia.

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