stories
Maynilad Installs Handwashing Stations in 10 Schools in Muntinlupa and Navotas
Saturday, October 24, 2026
For students at Daanghari Elementary School in Navotas City, washing their hands before eating or after classroom activities can mean waiting in line for a faucet. Maynilad Water Services Inc. is addressing this everyday challenge by installing modular handwashing stations in 10 public schools across Navotas and Muntinlupa, combining improved access to hygiene facilities with lessons on health and water conservation.
The initiative, held in connection with Global Handwashing Day in October, covers six schools in Navotas and four in Muntinlupa. It highlights a practical concern in school sanitation: providing handwashing facilities is only the first step. Students also need convenient access to water and soap, along with regular opportunities to practice proper hygiene.
Why Are Handwashing Facilities Important in Public Schools?
At Daanghari Elementary School, the shortage of accessible washing points becomes particularly noticeable when students finish physical education, gardening, or science activities at the same time.
Grade 6 mathematics teacher Elmer Espritu said the school already had five handwashing areas, but these could not always accommodate students during busy periods. Some children consequently missed the opportunity to wash their hands before returning to class or eating.
For teachers, the issue extends beyond cleanliness. Poor hand hygiene can contribute to the spread of infections, potentially affecting students' attendance, well-being, and ability to participate in lessons.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies handwashing with soap as an important measure for preventing diarrheal disease and other infections. Its benefits depend on having the necessary facilities and practicing proper hand hygiene at key moments, including before eating and after using the toilet.
For schools, this means that hygiene education works best when students can immediately apply what they learn.
How Is Maynilad Addressing the School Hygiene Gap?
Maynilad's initiative provides additional handwashing points to help schools accommodate more students during peak periods.
The company also distributed information, education, and communication (IEC) materials to reinforce proper hygiene practices. These resources complement the physical facilities by helping teachers explain when and how students should wash their hands.
Rosmon Tuazon, Maynilad's head of corporate marketing, said the installations aim to address schools' need for sufficient handwashing areas and encourage students to make handwashing a regular habit.
The initiative is particularly relevant to schools serving low-income communities, where preventable illnesses can add pressure to household budgets.
Grade 4 MAPE teacher Felizardo C. Clemente emphasized that avoiding illness can also help families reduce expenses for medicines and medical consultations.
However, installing additional stations is only part of the solution. Schools must also maintain the facilities and ensure that water and soap remain available for daily use.
What Do School Hygiene Figures Reveal About Access?
The figures cited in the initiative's source material indicate that access to handwashing facilities has improved across Philippine public schools, although coverage is not yet universal.
According to the Department of Education data cited in the report, 92.4% of public elementary schools have access to handwashing facilities. The corresponding figures are 89% for public junior high schools and 85.3% for public senior high schools.
These figures suggest that gaps remain, particularly at the senior high school level. They also highlight an important distinction: having a facility on campus does not necessarily mean students can use it conveniently whenever needed.
A school may have designated washing areas but still struggle with queues, insufficient supplies, or maintenance requirements.
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies has also examined school infrastructure and access to basic handwashing facilities as part of the country's broader education infrastructure challenges.
For school administrators, the practical goal is not simply to record the presence of a handwashing station. It is to make proper hygiene accessible throughout the school day.
Beyond Handwashing: Teaching Children to Value Water
Maynilad's school activities also connect hygiene with water conservation and environmental responsibility.
At Sucat Senior High School in Muntinlupa City, students learned about the importance of reliable water access in supporting hygiene programs. At Daanghari Elementary School, discussions covered water conservation and the role of wastewater management in maintaining healthier communities.
These lessons introduce students to the broader water cycle of everyday life: water must be sourced, treated, distributed, used responsibly, and managed after use.
WASH, or water, sanitation and hygiene, refers to the interconnected services and practices that help communities maintain health and cleanliness. In schools, WASH programs can include access to safe water, sanitation facilities, handwashing infrastructure, and hygiene education.
Marie Antonette H. De Ocampo, Maynilad's vice president and head of corporate affairs and communications, said early education can help children understand where water comes from and where it goes, encouraging them to value and protect this resource.
That message is relevant beyond the classroom. Water conservation, reporting leaks, and protecting rivers and other bodies of water all contribute to responsible water use.
How Can Schools Turn Handwashing Into a Daily Habit?
Providing facilities creates an opportunity, but consistent habits require cooperation among students, teachers, school administrators, families, and community partners.
A practical school hygiene routine includes several steps:
- Make handwashing accessible. Place functional facilities where students can use them before meals and after activities.
- Keep soap and water available. Facilities cannot support proper hygiene if essential supplies run out.
- Teach the correct technique. Students should clean all parts of their hands, including between their fingers and around their nails.
- Maintain the facilities. School personnel should regularly check cleanliness, water availability, and equipment condition.
- Reinforce the habit at home. Parents and caregivers can encourage children to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet.
Maynilad's approach combines infrastructure with education, recognizing that both are needed to support consistent hygiene practices.
Tuazon said the effort depends on several groups working together: students and teachers use the stations, school administrators maintain them, and community advocates help sustain awareness.
The intended benefits can extend beyond school grounds when children share what they learn with their siblings and parents.
Why Community Participation Matters for Water and Hygiene
Healthy communities depend on more than individual behavior. They also need functioning water systems, sanitation services, public education, and responsible environmental management.
Maynilad's De Ocampo said the company's WASH education activities seek to connect these concerns, encouraging households to value water, report leaks, and protect natural water sources.
For public schools, partnerships with organizations and service providers can help address infrastructure needs while reinforcing lessons that teachers already incorporate into daily routines.
Still, long-term results depend on what happens after donated facilities are installed. Regular maintenance, replenishment of soap, dependable water access, and continued hygiene education remain essential.
Global Handwashing Day, observed every October 15, offers an annual reminder of the importance of hand hygiene. But the real measure of a school hygiene initiative is whether students can practice it consistently throughout the year.
At Daanghari Elementary School and the other participating campuses, the additional handwashing stations are intended to make that routine easier to follow.
Ultimately, the goal is straightforward: give children the facilities, knowledge, and support they need to protect their health, while helping them understand why water must be used responsibly.







.png)















.jpg)