When severe flooding from Typhoon Kristine devastated San Juan Elementary School in the Philippines in 2024, classrooms were submerged and critical sanitation and hygiene facilities were destroyed. Faced with an urgent hygiene crisis, hundreds of learners were left relying on a single, overwhelmed handwashing facility. For Dr. Dave Mateo, LIXIL’s Leader of the Impact Strategy Office, seeing the school in distress hit remarkably close to home, especially since he had walked those very same hallways as a student 36 years ago.
The spark for action came from a 2024 LIXIL Community Day initiative. While introducing the innovative SATO Tap handwashing solution to another school as part of LIXIL’s local efforts on Global Handwashing Day, Dave experienced a moment of inspiration. Seeing firsthand how this simple, accessible technology could immediately restore hygiene and dignity to students, he realized it was the exact solution his childhood community urgently needed.
Reaching out to school leadership, Dave embarked on a mission to help his alma mater overcome its sanitation and hygiene challenges and meet the requirements of the Department of Education Philippines’ WASH in Schools (WinS) program. Watch the full Leader Spotlight video to see how LIXIL’s commitment to empowering its employees turned compassion into lasting impact, improving health, access to clean water and hand hygiene, and bringing the unshakeable pride to the children of San Juan Elementary School.
