Lifebuoy and Philippine Red Cross partner anew for hand hygiene advocacy

Joint handwash education program for the benefit of schools and Philippine Red Cross chapters across the country

Experts signal that the end of the pandemic¹ may soon be in sight, but it is not without warning that hygiene habits built during the health crisis must be continued with vigilance. Lifebuoy is among Unilever’s brands that led the company’s pandemic response through donation of hand hygiene products and consumer advocacy. Upholding its commitment to health beyond the pandemic, Lifebuoy has partnered with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for a handwash program to protect and prevent diseases as students now return to school for in-classroom learning.

Do the Lifebuoy with Philippine Red Cross: Take time for proper and regular hand hygiene
We all know how important washing your hands is to stop the spread of germs, and to keep yourself and your community safe. But did you know that when it comes to handwashing there is a right way to do it?
With a trusted hand soap and clean water, follow Lifebuoy’s hand washing steps:

According to the Department of Health, we must wash our hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. One can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available and if your hands are not visibly dirty. We must also avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

The benefits of handwashing outweigh the few moments we take out of our day to make sure our hands are clean. Worldwide, improved hand hygiene could reduce the infant mortality rate, decrease work absences due to illness, and improve school attendance.

The Philippine Red Cross youth volunteer program has long been reaching school learners with basic and essential developmental training and activities including the Water – Sanitation – Hygiene (WASH) in Schools program.

“Since 2021, we have partnered with the Philippine Red Cross for a joint pandemic response through the provision of handwash educational materials and hygiene kits to vaccination sites, testing centers, molecular laboratories, isolation facilities, as well as WASH response and development activities.  As young learners go back to school for face-to-face classes, the new phase of our partnership hopes to empower students and teachers alike to create a safe learning environment through our Lifebuoy x Philippine Red Cross Handwash Program,” shared Ann Esteves, Unilever Philippines Personal Care Business Unit Lead.

In this partnership, Lifebuoy and Philippine Red Cross through the Red Cross Youth will be implementing the Handwash in Schools Program through school-based handwashing activities, distribution of essential supplies such as 22,000 pieces of Lifebuoy handwash and soap, and information dissemination. The activity will be introduced through this collaboration but will be continued through the Red Cross Youth volunteers and the Philippine Red Cross chapters.

The program will benefit at least 50 schools with a total of about 10,000 students and school employees. The partnership also covers the following Philippine Red Cross chapters: Bataan, Kalinga, Pangasinan, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Manila, Rizal Chapter (Rizal Province, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig-Pateros, Paranaque), Cavite, Baguio, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Batangas, Albay, Palawan, Southern Leyte, Davao del Sur, and Davao City.

"We should make handwashing a habit so that we would not be vulnerable to diseases usually caused by bacterial infections," said Philippine Red Cross Secretary General Gwen T. Pang.

“We need to equip our communities with proper knowledge on handwashing para makaiwas sa sakit ang mga kabataan natin. Sakit na kagaya ng diarrhea, cough, colds, pneumonia, and skin rashes, at Covid-19. Mahalagang turuan natin ang kabataan ng sa gayon ay maturo nila ito sa next generation.”

“Philippine Red Cross will continue to educate the youth on proper handwashing through its local chapters, conduct seminars, and make PRC WASH facilities accessible in school, markets, isolation facilities, and public areas. Proper hand hygiene should always be taught in our schools. Children in our country are at a greater risk of suffering from diarrheal infection and intestinal worms, not only because of improper hygiene but also due to substandard sanitary facilities in our public schools,” said Philippine Red Cross Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon

Lifebuoy is one of Unilever’s oldest brands, and has championed a message of health through hygiene for more than a century. Unilever, through its brands, is well-placed to take upon an active role in social causes relating to health resilience.

This is a sponsored press release from Unilever Philippines, Inc.

 ¹ https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-chief-says-end-sight-covid-19-pandemic-2022-09-14/