Day: November 22, 2022

Department of Education and Domex Philippines strengthen partnership, update on initiatives to benefit schools and students nationwide. 

In its partnership with Unilever Philippines and germ-killing expert Domex, the Department of Education (DepEd) has awarded schools and divisions from all over the country for their exemplary initiative to maintain proper sanitation. 

The Eskwelang Unstoppable Awards recognized 2 school divisions and 5 schools in an event held last November 15 at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.  

Based on the data obtained from the DepEd’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS) monitoring report for school year 2021-2022. the City of Navotas won as Best School Division, garnering the highest score on select sanitation indicators in DepEd’s WinS monitoring. Bislig City of CARAGA Region won as Most Improved School Division, showing the highest change in the total score for the same sanitation indicators across 2 school years. Bangkulasi Elementary School, Dagat-Dagatan Elementary School, Navotas Elementary School, Filemon T. Lizan Senior High School and Bangkulasi Senior High School were awarded from the winning Best School Division as Best SDO-Model Schools as they showed exemplary practice in keeping their schools clean and germ-free.  

“This is an important partnership for Unilever and we’re very much honored because this initiative has helped our schools become a safer and better avenue for the youth to develop a clean school environment,” says Unilever Communications and Corporate Affairs Head Ed Sunico says in a statement. “We hope to get everyone’s help throughout the year and in more to come so that we can maintain this standard across all schools nationwide.”  

DepEd Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs and Partnerships Gerard Chan highlighted the challenges faced by the public throughout the ongoing school year, and how key partners like Unilever and Domex have helped the government implement the Comprehensive WinS Program. The program aims to provide clean water, usable and clean toilets, and proper hygiene practice in schools which are essential to achieving learning outcomes and are integral to keeping learners safe and healthy. 

“We at the Department of Education recognize everyone’s concern over the health and safety of our learners within and beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As learning shifted from classrooms to homes in the last 2 years, we have witnessed the entire school community, including all partners and stakeholders, come together to support our learners as they continue engaging in distance learning. And now, as we transition to 100% in-person learning, we are fortunate to have the unwavering support of our partners amidst this unprecedented time,” shares the Undersecretary.  

Immanuel Gebhardt, Country Director – Philippines of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the development agency of German Government which leads international development cooperation for sustainable development, was also present at the event and gave the organization’s commitment to help in providing supportive tools to local schools for proper sanitation with a focus on operation and maintenance of sanitation facilities. 

Unilever and Domex Brand Manager Regina Ocampo closed the event and expressed gratitude for the partnership between Unilever, Domex, DepEd, and GIZ. “We are whole-heartedly grateful that despite current challenges, we are still able to make this partnership thrive and continue to serve Filipino schools nationwide so that every student will have access to a clean school, especially usable and clean toilets, to help them become the future of this country,” says Ocampo. 

The Eskwelang Unstoppable Awards was done ahead of World Toilet Day on November 19, which aims to raise awareness for the 3.6 billion people around the globe who do not have access to safely managed sanitation. 

Jamie Balmores is the epitome of the saying hard work pays off. He left the Philippines over a decade ago to settle in Edmonton, Canada where he worked as a resident nurse. Through hard work and a lot of side hustle, JT, as he is fondly called, rapidly advanced from his position as a resident nurse in Edmonton, Canada, to that of an authentic influencer and celebrity in his community and hometown.

JT is the owner of Jeepney Jaytee, Edmonton’s most famous and multi-awarded food truck. He launched his food truck business in 2015, and by the time 2016 rolled in, he was already a household name and had become a tourist destination. Everyone needs to stop by his food truck in Edmonton or you weren’t really in Edmonton.

He promotes and highlights different Filipino delicacy by regions regularly in Global TV, CityTV and Dinner Television. He is one of the major stakeholders when it comes to promoting Filipino cuisine in Canada. This is also why everyone, not just Filipinos, line up for hours just to have a taste of Jeepney Jaytee’s food.

He has won Best Foodtruck in Canada from 2016 – 2022, Best Filipino Restaurant Cuisine
(Reader’s Choice Award) 2021, Best Local Social Media Personality Gold Award 2021, and
Best Filipino Food in Edmonton 2022. His best sellers are his authentic Ilocos Bagnet, Sisig
Tacos/Sisig Fries, and his Cheesy Bistek Shawarma.
JT serves as an inspiration to his fellow Filipinos in Canada to work on their dreams. He is a firm believer that nothing is impossible when you start planning your life and work hard for things you want to achieve in this world.

In fact, JT is the ambassador of Great Smile Family Dental, Skinlueaur Laser Center, and
Prestige Vision Center. They chose him not only because he’s popular in the community but
because he embodies the virtues they are looking for in an ambassador: a good role model and someone who has integrity. This is proof that it’s never too late to be what you want to be, no matter that age and what stage in your life you are. If JT can make it, so can you.