FPIP VP and external affairs head Ricky Carandang (2nd from left), with Tanauan City councilor Czylene Marqueses, Tanauan School of Fisheries administrator Dr. Shirley Siman, Tanauan City councilor Sam Bengzon and officials, joins schoolchildren from Cale Elementary School in flashing the thumbs-up sign after trying the new handwashing stationFirst Philippine Industrial Park Inc. (FPIP) has donated handwashing stations to 15 public schools in its two host cities in Batangas as part of the company’s support to help control the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, on top of promoting proper hygiene among schoolchildren.

FPIP formally handed over the facilities to the schools in the cities of Santo Tomas and Tanauan to assist at the same time the preparations of both local government units (LGUs) and the Department of Education for the safe resumption of full, in-person classes of the schools this month.

During the handover ceremonies, Arth Jhun Marasigan, mayor of Santo Tomas City, stressed the role the FPIP donation plays in minimizing health problems and poor school performance of children by providing them the convenience inside the school to clean their hands with soap and water.

“UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund] says almost 50% of school-aged children are infected with community-transmitted infections, which are the usual cause of diarrhea, stunted growth, absenteeism among schoolchildren, and [which have] a high impact on the level of [their] education,” he noted.

Ricky Carandang, FPIP vice president and head of external affairs, disclosed that FPIP designed and installed complete handwashing stations so far in 11 public schools in Santo Tomas and in four other public schools in Tanauan. He added that FPIP will complete the free construction of 15 more similar sanitation stations for public schools in the two cities next year.

“Gusto ko lang ipaalam na may mga ginagawa kaming mga programa ngayon at sa mga susunod na taon; makakaasa po ang Santo Tomas at Tanauan ng mas malawak na partnership [with] FPIP,” Carandang vowed during the handover ceremony. (Story/Photos by:Joel Gaborni)