Advocacy

443 Million Missed School Days Due To Global Toilet Sanitation Problem

November 11, 2015 / Filed Under: Advocacy

/As a mom, I am very particular in making sure that the toilet is clean and germ-free because that’s the dirtiest part of the house. Did you know that there are 443 million school days being missed each year by children around the world because of diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices alone? And one of the reasons of that is unsanitary toilets! That’s according to the study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the Philippines, this number of sick days is equivalent to all grade school and high school classrooms being empty for one month and that significantly hinders the children’s learning and significantly reduces their quality of life.

Every day, millions of children in rural communities and urban households nationwide are exposed to health problems like diarrheal disease and parasitic worm infections. These leads to nutritional deficiencies, physical and mental stunting, and even death.

According to Dr. Luisa Efren of the Philippine Public Health Association (PPHA), the simple act of proper toilet sanitation can help prevent the spread of these germs. However, children continue to be at risk from these deadly diseases because many households still use ordinary laundry bleach to clean their toilet bowls, which is not enough to kill all toilet germs.

Surf, Cebuana Lhuillier, and Smart Strengthens Their Commitment for Environmental Sustainability

February 19, 2015 / Filed Under: Advocacy, Environment

Whenever I pass by Cebuana Lhuillier near our home, I always see the a small standee outside of it that says “Free ₱10 texts for every ₱5 Sachet of Surf”. I thought a lot of people must be redeeming their free texts because if you think about it, it’s really worth the money. You get more than you pay for.

Imagine buying a ₱5 sachet of Surf, using it for your laundry and then aside from the soap, you also get ₱10 worth of text messages!

This is why the Sachet Recovery Program of Surf, Cebuana Lhuillier, and Smart is so successful! Last week, I was able to witness how these three industry leaders renewed their commitment to champion environmental sustainability.

With their shared mission to improve Filipino lives, the partners launched the third year of their Sachet Recovery Program at the Mandaluyong Elementary School. Through their joint efforts, the partners were able to create a process that is easy, convenient and rewarding, the program involves and educates more consumers about sustainability and waste recycling.

Domex One Million Clean Toilets Movement

November 14, 2014 / Filed Under: Advocacy

Did you know that 7 million Filipinos don’t have access to clean toilets? According to the Department of Health, of the estimated 3,420 diarrhea-related deaths among Filipino children under 5 every year, around 2,000 could have been prevented by access to safe water, improved toilet sanitation and personal hygiene. That is why all over the country, people are welcoming the construction of new toilet facilities and the repair of dilapidated ones, since becoming aware of its role in disease prevention, especially among children.

To help save lives, Domex has initiated the One Million Toilet Movement, a campaign that helps raise awareness for proper toilet sanitation. Through a pledge, it encourages everyone to keep their household toilets properly cleaned to keep germs and bacteria away. By this action, it ensures that you and everyone around you are safe from diseases like Diarrhea, E. Coli, and Hepatitis.

Every pledge will count as a ₱5 contribution to UNICEF’s sanitation program, that will help improve access to basic sanitation for hundreds of millions of people.

For further awareness, Unilever launched this Domex Fiesta video which shows how underprivileged Filipinos welcome the “arrival” of clean toilet facilities in their communities. According to Dennis Chua, Domex Brand Manager, “The video aims to make people realize the value of a toilet which most of us, unfortunately, take for granted,”.

What you’ll see in the video is a scene typically played out during fiestas: People rushing to the streets, drawn to the sound of a marching band. Everyone is smiling, eager to see the “star” of the celebration. But instead of showing the face of a movie celebrity, a beauty queen or a politician, the video reveals an unlikely, yet welcome sight—a new, clean toilet facility.

I encourage everyone to watch this video, share it, and encourage your friends to watch it. By watching and sharing, we are not only raising awareness but also helping helping less privileged communities gain access to clean toilet facilities because each unique view translates into a pledge for the advocacy campaign.

Visit Domex Facebook Page for more details and to pledge: https://www.facebook.com/DomexPhilippines