A student and teacher wash their hands at an elementary school in Marikina. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN
About 40% of public schools in the Philippines lack proper handwashing facilities and designated toilets for girls and boys, according to social business SATO Philippines.
“This could cause huge risks. Children get sick from dirty water, and young girls miss school every month because they don’t have privacy,” SATO Philippines Leader Akhito Shimojo told BusinessWorld in a virtual interview.
“We need to close this infrastructure gap immediately to protect our learners,” he added.
Data from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in 2024 showed that about two-thirds of the poorest Filipinos still lack access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
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