Safeguard leads a movement to a healthier Philippines through the Global Handwashing Day

If you’ve ever wondered the kind of impact personal hygiene really makes on the spread of germs and general health of the public, consider these sobering statistics gathered from the first Philippines Handwashing Index, a breakthrough study recently commissioned by the the nation’s leading soap brand, Safeguard.

• 7 out of 10 Filipinos CLAIM to wash their hands after using the toilet but—ONLY 2 out of 10 really do.
• A shocking 64% of Filipinas DO NOT wash their hands at all after using a mall toilet.
• ONLY 40% of children wash their hands—and they don’t use soap either.
• Half of Filipinos DO NOT wash their hands after using their mobile phones—known to be one of the dirtiest surfaces.
• Filipinos touch MORE THAN 23 other people, averaging 90 unique ‘touches’ per day. However, they wash our hands ONLY 5 times per day.

If these statistics seem particularly innocuous, keep in mind that one of the fastest ways to spread germs and diseases is by human contact and ingesting contaminated food. Clearly, Filipinos haven’t nurtured the habit of proper hand washing, and based on statistics, a great number do not care. There’s a great opportunity to educate citizens that washing hands with soap can effectively remove disease-causing germs and is the most basic way to prevent oneself from getting sick.
Did you know that 1.5 million children around the world die every year due to diarrhea? As shocking as it may seem, diarrhea is the second most common cause of death among kids. UNICEF has declared that pneumonia takes the lives 1.8 million children globally each year. Furthermore, in a study done by DOH locally, it has been found out that pneumonia is the number one cause of death among Filipino children of age 1-14 years. Believe it or not, the simple habit of proper handwashing with an anti-bacterial soap can be an effective way of reducing these incidents.

Bawat hugas, dapat Safeguard hugas

With the arrival of the ber months, these facts will become even more worrisome. The holidays mean more frequent gatherings with friends and family—and with it, the chances of you spreading germs to others increase.

In this year’s Global Handwashing Day celebration, Safeguard and the “Pambasang Bae” Alden Richards join forces to educate Filipinos on the importance of handwashing through the power of a song.

“Through the years, Safeguard has made it a mission to educate as many Filipinos on the importance and proper way to hand wash. Since the 1960s, Safeguard has been able to educate millions of children and provide numerous hygiene facilities in partnership with the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DepEd). And this year, we are proud to have Alden with us to sing the hand washing Christmas song that reminds everyone to wash their hands,” shares Jia Salindong- Du, Safeguard Philippines Brand Manager.

Ultimately, this is a call for every Filipino to do their part in promoting handwashing to keep everyone healthy and protected from germs throughout this season. Make it a habit to wash your hands with Safeguard in these 5 “hugas non-negotiables” -- before “mano”, after using the toilet, before eating, after playing and before bonding.

Share the newest Safeguard handwashing song led by Alden to remind your friends and family to wash their hands with Safeguard:
https://www.facebook.com/SafeguardPhilippines/videos/1609451919112712/

Made especially for the holidays, Safeguard is launching its Christmas gift sets, which contain Safeguard Pure White Body Wash (400ML), Pure White Liquid Hand Soap (225ML) and a FREE loofah. These limited editions packs will be available for only PHP 199 beginning October 15, 2017.

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