When the pandemic struck, most of us found ourselves going back to basics. The usual hustle and bustle of everyday life ground to a halt almost overnight. Old habits had to be unlearned as they no longer applied in the so-called next normal. New habits had to be acquired, while some had to be relearned. Even the simplest things that we learned as children—handwashing, for example—surfaced as one of the most important lines of defense against Covid-19.
Simple as it may seem, would you believe that not everyone knows how to wash their hands properly? For example, it is not enough to wash one’s hands with just water. Soap is needed for real cleaning to take place. Water alone does not kill germs and viruses. There is also a required minimum duration of scrubbing one’s hands with soap for the cleaning to be effective. According to scientists, researchers, and medical practitioners, at least 20 seconds of scrubbing is needed to destroy viruses that your hands may have picked up.
This is precisely why, every year on October 15, we celebrate the United Nations-sanctioned Global Handwashing Day (GHD). It aims to educate people about proper handwashing and emphasize its importance in preventing the spread of diseases.
Maynilad Water Services Inc. has been an active proponent of the GHD celebration in the Philippines for several years now, in line with its water, sanitation, and hygiene (W.A.S.H.) education and infrastructure programs. But the need to spread the gospel of proper handwashing cannot be done alone, especially now. Good thing there are many like-minded private and public organizations who are willing to carry the advocacy.
Joining hands with others
BEING part of the MVP group, Maynilad initially tapped Kapatid companies as partners for this year’s GHD campaign. Metro Pacific Water became its main collaborator, later joined by parent firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), Metro Pacific Hospitals Holdings Inc. (MPHHI), and the various Maynilad and MPW subsidiaries and affiliates.
“Companies within the MVP group naturally unite around relevant causes. Because we share the same values and philosophy, we are a ready army to amplify advocacies. Handwashing, especially at a time like this, is certainly a cause that we can get behind,” MPW President Rogelio L. Singson related.
The collaboration was not confined within the MVP Group, however. The Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (Pamet), Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) also joined the fold.
A new platform
ASIDE from these new partnerships, this year’s GHD campaign entered the wonderful new world of TikTok for the first time. Now with a strong following (more than a billion users globally!), Kristoffer Rada, TikTok Head of Public Policy, Philippines, said the platform aimed to serve as a tool for education and learning.
“This is a timely partnership for us, as we believe TikTok is in the best position to create the multiplier effect that this advocacy needs. TikTok content over the past months of the pandemic has helped provide relief for people who are grappling with stress and anxiety. Through this partnership, we aim to generate content that can help slow the spread of Covid-19 and spread the awareness of proper handwashing,” he said.
TikTok content creators were mobilized to create dance videos using Maynilad’s handwashing jingle, produced in collaboration with PhilPop, with choreography done by in-house talents. The song, with its 20-second hook, can be sung while washing the hands, to ensure that the 20-second rule is followed. It also provides step-by-step instructions for correct handwashing, almost literally translated into easy-to-follow dance steps to make the act of handwashing fun. These videos should be accompanied by the hashtag “20secondsdapat,” referring to the minimum length of time that should be spent scrubbing one’s hands with soap.
Respite from the daily grind
BOTH the jingle and the dance provided not only proper handwashing steps and duration, but also a welcome respite from the daily grind. Maynilad’s 2021 GHD campaign pit its partners against each other in a friendly dance challenge. Even the MWSS Chief Regulator, although he did not dance, appeared in his agency’s video entry.
Personnel from Maynilad subsidiaries PhilHydro and Maynilad Boac showcased the beauty of their respective locations while dancing the handwashing dance. Water districts nationwide, which are under the LWUA umbrella, had their own contest. Health workers from the MVP Hospital Group gamely flaunted their dancing chops in between shifts.
In the end, the men and women of MPW subsidiaries Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, Metro Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Corp., and Metro Dumaguete Water took the top three prizes. MVP hospitals De Los Santos Medical Center and Calamba Medical Center, meanwhile, bagged the People’s Choice Awards for garnering the most “likes” and “shares,” respectively.
“Proper handwashing can slow the spread of Covid-19 and, in turn, provide much-needed breathing room to our health workers. We can’t say this enough. But instead of just preaching it, we can make it more fun for our frontliners through the jingle and the dance,” MPHHI President Augusto Palisoc Jr. said.
The pandemic has forced organizations to think outside of themselves. Businesses have shifted their mindset from “what’s in it for me?” to “what can I do for others?” There is a realization that everyone is on the same boat, fighting the same battle, and that the only way to win over Covid-19 is to win on all possible fronts. Collaborating with each other, even for something as basic as handwashing, is key to winning this battle. Making it more fun and engaging—our job as public relations practitioners—is certainly one way to help ensure victory.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier organization for PR professionals around the world. Abigail L. Ho-Torres is AVP and head of Advocacy and Marketing of Maynilad Water Services Inc. She spent more than a decade as a business journalist before making the leap to the corporate world.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.