With one of the world’s longest quarantines, Filipinos are already experiencing “protocol fatigue,” which makes them more lenient about hygiene habits and puts them at risk of infection. Procter & Gamble’s Safeguard is stepping in to remind and reinforce the importance of proper handwashing through the SAFEWash movement.
Launched last year, the SAFEWash movement enables organizations and individuals to work together to promote proper handwashing. P&G and Safeguard has donated Php 100 million to the campaign. On top of this, Safeguard is helping to rebuild handwashing facilities and provide hygiene kits for the Philippine General Hospital, currently housing the highest number of COVID-19 patients nationwide. Through its partnership with the Manila Water Foundation, Safeguard is adding three multi-faucet handwashing facilities for the hospital in key high-traffic areas to decrease the level of hospital contamination of germs and illnesses.
With the acceleration of efforts in the past month, P&G and Safeguard have supported more than 20+ organizations, hospitals, and LGUs with the construction of public handwashing facilities, and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), face masks, ventilators, and hygiene care packs to vaccine hubs and frontliners, through the SAFEWash movement.
Safeguard also commits its support to the Department of Health in helping prepare the country for a hopeful reopening. Through the DOH and P&G partnership, 70,000 BIDA Solusyon health and hygiene kits were distributed to families in 36 provinces nationwide. The kits helped local government units manage COVID-19 community outbreaks, strengthened proper hand hygiene education, and influenced positive action on health and hygiene of families.
“Safeguard believes in helping protect every Filipino family through quality products that fight the spread of germs and illnesses. If everyone plays their part by practicing minimum health protocols, frequent handwashing being one of them, we can help protect those around us as well. At Safeguard, we are one with our partners in helping the country reopen to a SAFER normal,” shares Jan Ang, Senior Brand Director for Safeguard Philippines