Department of Education and Domex Philippines strengthen partnership, 
update on initiatives to benefit schools and students nationwide. 

Manila, Philippines – In its partnership with Unilever Philippines and germ-killing expert Domex, the Department of Education (DepEd) has awarded schools and divisions from all over the country for their exemplary initiative to maintain proper sanitation. 

The Eskwelang Unstoppable Awards recognized 2 school divisions and 5 schools in an event held last November 15 at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City. 

Based on the data obtained from the DepEd’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS) monitoring report for school year 2021-2022. the City of Navotas won as Best School Division, garnering the highest score on select sanitation indicators in DepEd’s WinS monitoring. Bislig City of CARAGA Region won as Most Improved School Division, showing the highest change in the total score for the same sanitation indicators across 2 school years. Bangkulasi Elementary School, Dagat-Dagatan Elementary School, Navotas Elementary School, Filemon T. Lizan Senior High School and Bangkulasi Senior High School were awarded from the winning Best School Division as Best SDO-Model Schools as they showed exemplary practice in keeping their schools clean and germ-free.  

“This is an important partnership for Unilever and we’re very much honored because this initiative has helped our schools become a safer and better avenue for the youth to develop a clean school environment,” says Unilever Communications and Corporate Affairs Head Ed Sunico says in a statement. “We hope to get everyone’s help throughout the year and in more to come so that we can maintain this standard across all schools nationwide.”  

DepEd Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs and Partnerships Gerard Chan highlighted the challenges faced by the public throughout the ongoing school year, and how key partners like Unilever and Domex have helped the government implement the Comprehensive WinS Program. The program aims to provide clean water, usable and clean toilets, and proper hygiene practice in schools which are essential to achieving learning outcomes and are integral to keeping learners safe and healthy. 
 
“We at the Department of Education recognize everyone’s concern over the health and safety of our learners within and beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As learning shifted from classrooms to homes in the last 2 years, we have witnessed the entire school community, including all partners and stakeholders, come together to support our learners as they continue engaging in distance learning. And now, as we transition to 100% in-person learning, we are fortunate to have the unwavering support of our partners amidst this unprecedented time,” shares the Undersecretary.  
 
Immanuel Gebhardt, Country Director – Philippines of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the development agency of German Government which leads international development cooperation for sustainable development, was also present at the event and gave the organization’s commitment to help in providing supportive tools to local schools for proper sanitation with a focus on operation and maintenance of sanitation facilities. 
 
Unilever and Domex Brand Manager Regina Ocampo closed the event and expressed gratitude for the partnership between Unilever, Domex, DepEd, and GIZ. “We are whole-heartedly grateful that despite current challenges, we are still able to make this partnership thrive and continue to serve Filipino schools nationwide so that every student will have access to a clean school, especially usable and clean toilets, to help them become the future of this country,” says Ocampo. 
 
The Eskwelang Unstoppable Awards was done ahead of World Toilet Day on November 19, which aims to raise awareness for the 3.6 billion people around the globe who do not have access to safely managed sanitation.