Manila Water Foundation, the social development arm of the Manila Water enterprise, concludes its month-long series of events to mark its 18th anniversary with a Partners Recognition Event. The Filipiniana-themed celebration was hosted by Manila Water Foundation to express gratitude to its generous partners as it turned 18 in animating the mission of bringing environmental programs and water access, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for all communities.
The MWSS Multi-purpose Hall was converted into a Filipino barrio fiesta scene as Manila Water Foundation gathered partners from both public and private sectors. Representatives from social enterprises, corporate foundations, national government agencies and international humanitarian organizations attended the event and received tokens of appreciation.
Manila Water Foundation President and Manila Water Company President and CEO, Jocot de Dios thanked all its partners, for entrusting MWF with a total of PHP 91-M in partnership value to deliver projects through the Manila Water Foundation program houses: Integrated WASH, WASH Interventions and Environment.
Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Operations Dexter A. Galban delivered a partnership message at the event. Asec Galban emphasized the importance of all partners collaborating for Filipino learners in championing WASH in Schools or WinS that is part of Oplan Kalusugan or OK sa DepEd. From 2019 to 2022, Manila Water Foundation, with the generous support of partners, constructed more than 500 sets of multi-faucet hand hygiene facilities and more than 3,000 hygiene kits in campuses nationwide. These were completed in time for the full implementation of face-to-face classes in public schools and the continuing promotion of health and hygiene on campus.
Nurturing partnerships
The invited guests represented 18 current collaborators and with another set of 18 partners, MWF intends to have strong collaborations with. To symbolize the synergy and stewardship, each partner was given a potted Aglaonema, a colorful and sturdy plant. Then, the partner representatives completed a large-scale puzzle and placed their respective organization’s logo on a Synergy Wall, signifying their support to the WASH program houses of Manila Water Foundation.
To concretely demonstrate synergies, Manila Water Foundation will Grant a Wish of WASH and donate a WASHUp! portable handwashing station with bar soap and the MWF WASH Storybook May Tubig na sina Tinay! to public schools and institutions in the name of each partner organization. Each partner is then challenged to top up the donation so as to expand the WASH project’s reach.
Reaching out to new frontiers
Another event highlight was when the Integrated WASH program house of Manila Water Foundation introduced a new project: Lináng. Adopting the Filipino term which means “to cultivate” or “to foster the growth of”, Linang is a technical mentorship and support program for local water service providers in rural areas in the Philippines. Manila Water Foundation, with valued partners are responding to the growing demand for technical knowledge support by harnessing the expertise and strengths of the Manila Water enterprise. In fostering technical excellence among local water service providers, more communities can have better access to quality and reliable water services.
“18 years of bringing WASH, and now environmental programs to the communities would not be possible without the help of our partners. Manila Water Foundation commits to bringing care to more communities this year and beyond. Our dear partners give us renewed sense of hope and resiliency that we are not alone in our work to deliver water access, sanitation, and hygiene programs to more of our kababayans across the country,” Manila Water Foundation Executive Director Reginald Andal said.
This year’s 18th anniversary theme: Celebrating Synergies, Expanding Reach opens the series of anniversary themes leading up to Manila Water Foundation’s 20th anniversary in 2025: the first two decades of championing environment programs and WASH.