THE PHILIPPINE LEADER
WASH IN PANDEMIC Written by: JCI Quezon City Capitol
By the end of 2020, COVID-19 has infected around 75 million people in 218 countries all over the world including the Philippines. Our country has more than 460,000 in total cases where 55% are in the National Capital Region. As the pandemic spreads, millions of people are heeding the advice of health experts to wash their hands as one of the minimum public health protocols. But for about 21 million people in the Philippines who do not have access to a handwashing facility with clean water and soap, this small action to prevent infection remains to be a challenge and out of reach. This even includes about 20% of healthcare centers in the country where patients in the community receive immediate medical care. The facility is also PWD-f riendly since its features include It is in this regard that JCI Quezon City Capitol together
a ramp and a lowered sink, which can also be accessed
with its partners, Manila Water Foundation, P&G Safeguard
by small children. Each facility is built with three faucets
Philippines, and the Quezon City Government, collectively
with readily available soap containers and signages about
initiated and formally inaugurated four new handwashing
COVID-19 precautionary measures, proper handwashing,
facilities and rehabilitated two (2) existing ones in various
and responsible use of water.
strategic public areas in Quezon City on 04 September 2020.
The general public f requenting the Quezon City Hall Complex, patients and medical f rontliners of the Kamuning and Murphy Super Health Centers, and 64 locally-stranded individuals in Quezon Memorial Circle are immediate benef iciaries of these handwashing facilities because they can readily wash their hands as they enter or leave the premises. Compared with makeshift handwashing facilities, this “hybrid” inf rastructure design is more reliable and sustainable because it has direct access to clean water and connection to a drainage system. Salvador Patingo, a former construction worker who lost his job due to the pandemic took temporary shelter in the Quezon City Memorial Basketball Court. He shared, “Malaking tulong po ito sa amin—itong pasilidad na ito.
The handwashing facility’s unique “hybrid” design allows
Makakainom kami ng malinis na tubig, makakapag-
users to turn on the faucet in two ways; either via a lever
handwash din po. Hindi lang po sa amin, pati po sa ibang
that can be used by a hand or elbow, or via a foot pedal.
tao po na gagamit ng pasilidad na ito (This facility is a huge
There is also a one-meter distance between faucets to
help for us. We can now drink clean water and wash our
observe physical distancing.
hands. This is helpful not only for us but for those who will use this facility as well).”
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