Community welcomes arrival of clean toilets in “Fiesta” video
It’s
a scene typically played out during fiestas: People rushing to the
streets, drawn to the sound of a marching band. Everyone is smiling,
eager to see the “star” of the celebration. But instead of showing the
face of a movie celebrity, a beauty queen or a politician, the video
reveals an unlikely, yet welcome sight—a new, clean toilet facility.
Aptly
titled “Fiesta”, the Domex video, produced by Unilever Philippines, is
available on Youtube and shows how underprivileged Filipinos welcome the
“arrival” of clean toilet facilities in their communities. “The video
aims to make people realize the value of a toilet which most of us,
unfortunately, take for granted,” said Dennis Chua, Domex Brand Manager.
The
“Fiesta” video contributes to the efforts of Domex’s One Million Clean
Toilets Movement. Each unique view translates into a pledge for the
advocacy campaign which collects pledges from households to
conscientiously maintain their own hygienic bathrooms. For every pledge
received, Domex will donate P5 to UNICEF’s sanitation program, towards
improving access to basic sanitation in deprived areas around the world,
including the Philippines.
“By
watching the ‘Fiesta’ video and asking our friends to watch it, we are
not only raising awareness for toilet appreciation and sanitation, more
importantly, we are helping less privileged communities gain access to
clean toilet facilities,” said Benjie Yap, Unilever Foods and Home Care
Vice President.
Clean toilets, germ-free communities
All
over the country, people are welcoming the construction of new toilet
facilities and the repair of dilapidated ones, since becoming aware of
its role in disease prevention, especially among children.
According
to the Department of Health, of the estimated 3,420 diarrhea-related
deaths among Filipino children under 5 every year, around 2,000 could
have been prevented by access to safe water, improved toilet sanitation
and personal hygiene.
“This
video should serve as a wake-up call for most of us. The little things
we take for granted, like having a clean toilet, could mean the world to
others and could definitely help save lives,” Chua said.
