Mommy Pehpot, Author at Mommy Pehpot

Domex launches One Million Clean Toilets Movement to support World Toilet Day

Because I am allergic to dirty and smelly toilet.. I am posting this press release from the One Milliond Clean Toilets Movement event last Tuesday (hindi ako naka attend at alam nyo naman busy ang mudra sa paghahanda sa birthday ng prinsesa..)

—0O0—

Is it possible to save lives, one toilet at a time?

For Unilever, through its leading specialized toiler cleaner brand Domex, the answer is an emphatic yes. The number one germ-killer brand announced plans to expand its annual support for World Toilet Day celebrations to a fully-formed advocacy, with a nationwide initiative to promote better bathroom sanitation.

Dubbed as the One Million Clean Toilets Movement, the campaign aims to encourage a culture of cleanliness by increasing the public’s awareness on the importance of maintaining proper toilet sanitation through a series of year-long cleaning and education initiatives, starting with a multi-sector partnership with UNICEF, the Philippine Public Health Association,the City of Manila and Pilipinas Shell..

Domex will deputize Germ Busters through a series of training activities on the proper servicing of restrooms covering City Service employees, NLEX and SLEX Shell gas station service personnel, and selected school and hospital sanitation staff.

The bar for success has been set high: to collect a total of one million pledges from private households to conscientiously maintain their own clean, safe, and hygienic bathrooms by the next World Toilet Day in November 2014.

Individuals who will pledge to support the One Million Clean Toilets Movement via the Domex Philippines FB Page (facebook.com/DomexPhilippines) will also help grow a global fund to help improve access to basic sanitation in areas of need all over the world as Domex will donate P5 to UNICEF’s Sanitation Program for every pledge received.

Dirty toilets flush away bright futures

There are about 2 million bacteria per inch that can be found in a bathroom and yet over 90% of local households are unaware of proper toilet hygiene and sanitation practices.

Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno (4^th from left) leads the ceremonial launch of the “One Million Clean Toilets” campaign, a corporate social responsibility

Initiative of Domex and Unilever Philippines. He was joined by (L-R) Unilever Marketing Director for Home Care Jay Go, Unilever Vice President for Home Care and Foods Benjie Yap, Unicef WASH Specialist Dr. Mike Gnilo, Pilipinas Shell category Manager for Convenience Retail Cholo Francisco, Unilever Corporate communications Manager Liza Vengco, and Unilever Vice President for Corporate Affairs Chito Macapagal.

At the movement’s official launch, advocacy partner UNICEF provided an overview of toilet sanitation in the country, revealing that diarrhea is the third leading cause of child illness and fourth leading cause of death of children under five years old.

The organization maintains an active water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) program, which focuses on increased household demand for basic sanitation and improved hygiene practice, to combat the prevalence of diarrhea and intestinal worm infection.

“Evidence shows that improving WASH conditions improves children’s health and academic performance. Proper sanitation is crucial to securing their bright future, which can be achieved by collaborative, multi-sectoral efforts.” said UNICEF WASH Specialist, Dr. Mike Gnilo. UNICEF and Domex have previously teamed up in 2012 for World Toilet Day celebrations and a public restroom clean-up program.

“Good hygiene practices are learned at home, and what every household must understand is that proper sanitation is a necessity, not a luxury,” said Domex brand manager Dennis Chua.

“Using common cleaning products such as detergents and bleach may result in clean surfaces, but without germ-killing agents, they cannot provide total disinfection. Regular use of a specialized cleaning product can significantly decrease levels of virus contamination, and minimize the contraction of illnesses like influenza, diarrhea, and hepatitis,” Chua added.

Billion Better Lives

As part of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP), the One Million Clean Toilets Movement strengthens Unilever’s “Billion Better Lives” campaign by helping 1 billion people to improve their health and well-being by 2020. The plan, launched globally in 2010, will result in three significant outcomes by 2020- allowing us to source 100% of our agricultural raw materials sustainably, halve the environmental footprint of our products, and help more than a billion people improve their health and well-being, or the Billion Better Lives campaign. The USLP inspires people to take small everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world.

Let’s Talk About REAL Talk

Most people agree that our friends and family are the most important part of our lives. But the way we interact with our loved ones has changed, thanks to technological advances such as texting, skyping, online messaging and social networking. Even the way we find new people has drastically changed, thanks to advances such as online dating and social media.

It used to be that when you wanted to catch up with a friend, you’d pop round her house or call her on the phone. Nowadays, you’re just as likely to ping her on Facebook or drop her a tweet. But are you really connecting with your friends? Is a smiley face emoticon the same as seeing your smile for real?

Only around 7% of our communication is conveyed by the words we use and the rest is in our body language, facial expressions, and gestures. So it’s clear that we are missing a lot when we rely too heavily on online messaging and neglect the real time communication that everyone enjoys. Hugs, smiles, and just spending time in another person’s company are all fundamental human needs.

On the other hand, texting and messaging can have a positive influence on relationships of all kinds. Many people have met the love of their life online, and when you look at the facts about online dating, it is nowhere near a scary or mysterious concept as it used to be. I am a witness to an online love affair. My high school best friend met her partner through online and it worked really well with them, now they are happily married for 5 years!

Before mobile phones, organising a night out or meal with friends and family was a lot of effort – nowadays, it’s much easier to send a text around or set up a Facebook invite to get everyone together. It’s much more convenient if you want to change plans at the last minute, too.

Keeping in touch is easier too. If your loved ones are far away, you can still keep up with their daily lives through social media, email, messaging, texting and video calls. Staying close with people even when you’re miles apart is a wonderful gift that technology has given us.

Of course, it’s important to keep a balance between time spent online and time spent with your friends in person. As long as you use it wisely, technology can be a way to enhance and deepen your most important relationships and stay close with those you love.

Jollibee Maaga Ang Pasko Goes Online

I am really glad I brought my two boys along with me during the launching of Jollibee Maaga ang Pasko at SM Marikina. It was perfect timing since it was their last day of exam..also, the day before that, me and my two younger kids went out.. saktong event, para ilabas naman ang mga big boys 🙂

Now on it’s 19th year, Jollibee Maaga ang Pasko has grown to become the country’s biggest and longest running toy and book donation drive. And with the launch of Jollibee Maaga ang Pasko microsite, more and more family, not just around the country but also worldwide can participate in this donation drive and help bring happiness to less fortunate kids this Christmas.

And before I give you a walk through on the microsite, here’s a photo story during the launch at SM Marikina:

School and company partners started this year’s Maaga Ang Pasko by placing their donations to the Maaga ang Pasko box

An oath taking with Jollibee on being a Toy Scout

The Voice finalist Morissette Amon entertaining the guests with a very upbeat rendition of Roar.

—– 0O0 —–

Here’s the microsite info:

Go to http://www.jollibee.com.ph/
Click on the Maaga ang Pasko banner (below)
Click the button that says DONATE NA DITO
Choose a donation: Toy or Book?
You will be redirected to Toy Kingdom website if you choose to donate for a toy. For book donations, you will be redirected to Goodwill Bookstore website.
Choose what you wish to donate and pay.

I still don’t know how the toys will be delivered to Jollibee but I will update this post as soon as I got info about it.

Meanwhile, Maaga ang Pasko boxes will be placed in Jollibee stores at United States, Middle East, Hongkong and Singapore.. Filipino Communities from the said countries can bring their donations personally to Jollibee branches near them (if there is any).