Schoolchildren from Tanauan City Integrated School try the new handwashing station donated to their school by FPIP. Standing behind the schoolchildren are (l-r) FPIP assistant vice president Jason de las Alas, Tanauan City councilor Czylene Marqueses, school principal Gladys Biscocho and other school officials and guestsFirst Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) has donated handwashing stations to 15 more public schools in its two host cities in Batangas as part of the company’s support to help control the spread of infectious diseases and promote proper hygiene among schoolchildren.

FPIP formally turned over the facilities during simple ceremonies held in the cities of Santo Tomas and Tanauan. The Batangas chapter of the Philippine Red Cross, meanwhile, donated 30 soap dispensers and 15 cleaning sets as well as hand soap.

The turnover brought to 30 the number of public schools that received handwashing stations from FPIP in the past year. In October 2022, FPIP turned over handwashing facilities to 15 other public schools in Santo Tomas and Tanauan.

The donation is also FPIP’s show of support for Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 10, series of 2016, which sets the policy and guidelines for DepEd’s “Comprehensive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools (WinS)” program.

DepEd implemented WinS “for the promotion of correct hygiene and sanitation practices among schoolchildren and a clean environment in and around schools to keep learners safe and healthy.”

For Czylene Marqueses, a member of the Tanauan City Council, the turnover was extra special because Santor Elementary School, one of the recipients of the handwashing stations, is her alma mater.

“This is the second time that FPIP donated handwashing facilities in Tanauan City and they have reached more schools, including my alma mater,” Marqueses said.

Dr. Guillerma Bilog, the head of DepEd’s School Governance Operations Division in Santo Tomas City, expressed her gratitude to FPIP for being one of DepEd’s trusted and reliable partners.

“FPIP has always been supportive to the DepEd leaders, the schools and pupils in Santo Tomas. Mabuhay po kayo!” Bilog said.

Ricky Carandang, FPIP vice president and head of external affairs, for his part, said: “Last year, we made a promise to pursue a second phase of our free handwashing station project for public schools in the cities of Tanauan and Santo Tomas. The turnover ceremonies were a fulfilment of that promise.

“But through our collaboration with the local government units, the DepEd and other supportive groups in both Santo Tomas and Tanauan, we can implement more programs for the benefit of our stakeholders,” Carandang vowed.

(Story/Photos by:Joel Gaborni)