An elementary school in Quezon ‘opens happiness’ with Coca-Cola and PBSP

For the longest time, children in Latangan Elementary School (ES), would carry one-liter bottles of water to school every day for their drinking, handwashing and toilet needs. Because of the lack of clean and safe drinking water, there were even instances when some of the students would experience stomach pains and loose bowel movement.

“We tried digging our own well but there was very little water. The bigger students had to endure fetching water from our neighbors so all the children would have water to use,” said Josefina Malabanan, Teacher-in-Charge of Latangan ES.

But this school year, the children were greeted with a different experience. With a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) installed a potable water system (PWS) and the children no longer have to carry water to school.

“We are thankful to The Coca-Cola Foundation and PBSP for giving us this water system. It is a great help, especially to the children,” said Malabanan.

 

BRINGING WATER TO LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSES

In 2017, the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and PBSP partnered for the provision of climate-resilient potable water systems in at least 51 Little Red Schoolhouses nationwide. This would benefit over 6,000 students and school personnel within four years.

“Through the Agos Program, Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines works with partners to ensure that communities have a reliable source of safe water. We are happy to extend our partnership with PBSP from building schoolhouses in underserved communities to ensuring that the schoolchildren and their teachers have access to potable water,” said Maria Cecila Alcantara, President of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines.

Apart from providing the school community access to safe drinking water, the project also aims to raise awareness among the youth on the importance of water resources in the community.