Protecting ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19 begins by knowing the precautions. To keep a community COVID-19 free, echoing these to others is key.
In partnership with Holcim Philippines, much-needed information, education, and communication (IEC) materials on proper hygiene practices and COVID-19 precautionary measures from Manila Water Foundation (MWF) were made available to six barangays and key local government and educational institutions in Bacnotan, La Union on December 10. These will benefit Barangay Quirino, Bacnotan Municipal Health and Nutrition Department, DepEd Regional Office, and 5 other barangays.
Apart from the donations, MWF also conducted hygiene education session to the Barangay Health Workers, barangay tanod (custodians), and volunteer parents.
Several groups such as the families under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) expressed their interest in getting copies of the IECs, which would help spread the awareness about COVID-19 in their respective communities, according to Gillian Cortes, CSR Manager of Holcim Philippines in Bacnotan. She shared, "The mere fact that a lot of people asked for materials even if they weren't the beneficiaries already indicates that they find it very valuable, even the Tanod-Bayan—the group wanted copies of the posters and then the 4Ps women also asked for copies." With the materials translated in their native language, Cortes added "Thanks to your posters, in Ilocano, [it is] very much appreciated by the barangays."
Cristy Andaya, Barangay Secretary of Quirino in Bacnotan, La Union said that the IECs would also help in the recall of the proper hygiene habits among their stakeholders. "Malaki ‘yung maitutulong nito [IEC materials] kasi kapag nakikita ng tao o nababasa, mas natatanim sa kaisipan nila kung ano ba yung tama at mali na gawain para mas lalo pang mapaigting 'yung paglaban natin sa COVID-19 (This would be a huge help for us because, when people see or read the material, it is more likely that they remember the proper precautions, thus making us stronger in the fight against COVID-19)."
This effort is under Holcim Philippines’ and Manila Water Foundation’s partnership that was forged from the League of Corporate Foundations’ call for collective impact among its member corporations and corporate foundations through the project, LCFWinS: Lingap Eskwela sa Pandemya. Manila Water Foundation serves as the lead implementer of the LCFWinS project. Around 6,500 individuals will be benefitting from this initiative.