WHAT began as a plan to build classrooms at Lumbia Central School unexpectedly turned into a life-saving mission to provide clean, safe drinking water to more than 3,200 students.
In 2024, the BIRTH Club, a civic organization affiliated with the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, launched an initiative to construct classrooms in underserved communities.
While the building project was underway, a more urgent need emerged: The school lacked a safe and sustainable water source. Many students paid a peso per container for bottled water refills or drank from faucets with no guarantee of potability.
“The realization struck deeply,” said Franco Catajoy, the project lead and volunteer director for administration at Safe Water For Every Child-Philippines, (SWFEC-Ph).
Catajoy added: “How could we invest in education without also addressing the basic health needs of these students? That’s when the idea took shape. What if we didn’t stop at classrooms? What if we gave them access to safe, drinkable, life-sustaining water?”
Catajoy reached out to Kaloy Manlupig, the volunteer CEO of SWFEC-Ph, a nonprofit that installs SkyHydrant ultrafiltration systems. The portable system provides more than 10,000 liters of clean water per day without needing electricity or chemicals. It is a sustainable, low-maintenance solution with a lifespan of up to 10 years.
The water initiative was approved in January 2025 as an extension of the classroom project. Three months later, the school officially received the SkyHydrant system.
At a ceremony with school officials, Department of Education representatives, partners, teachers, and students, a memorandum of agreement was signed, and a symbolic first drink of purified water was taken.
Before the project, access to safe drinking water was uncertain and unequal. Now, students can drink for free.
“This is what happens when different sectors come together with a shared purpose. “Safe Water for Every Child – Philippines exists to make safe drinking water a reality for every learner. With partners like the BIRTH Club and the CDO Masonic Lodge, we turn that vision into something real, something a child can drink today,” Manlupig said.
Globally, 844 million people lack access to safe drinking water. In the Philippines, 60 million people — more than half the population — do not have safe water, and 55% of schools face the same challenge. Poor sanitation and contaminated water are among the leading causes of death for children under 5.
SWFEC-Ph, in partnership with Disaster Aid Australia and the SkyJuice Foundation, helps bridge that gap by deploying SkyHydrant units to areas in need, including schools, villages, and disaster zones.
The organization’s mission is to serve communities and protect the health of children through equitable access to clean water.
