Toka Toka & Bawat Patak Tumatatak Goes to School

Toka Toka is an environmental movement launched in 2012 by Manila Water in partnership with Asian Development Bank and ABS-CBN. Toka Toka is the first environmental movement in the country that advocates proper management of wastewater or used water in every household as a way to revive the rivers. The advocacy aims to encourage people and communities to four ownable acts:  1) Encouraging solid waste management and segregation

2) desludging of household septic tank every five years

3) connecting all households to a proper sewer line 

4) educating the community on proper wastewater management and the environment

Toka Toka believes that if every individual and institution in each household or sector would embrace their share or toka,   there is hope that our waterways and rivers could be free from pollution (MWC, n.d.). 

Toka Toka recognizes that children as part of the family and key to the future have key roles to play to protect the rivers.  In 2014,  Toka Toka launched Bawat Patak Tumatatak Goes to School Program which is targeted to educate and engage children as environmental partners and superheroes by going around schools within the East Zone  of Manila.    Bawat Patak Tumatatak Goes to School Program involves several interactive learning activities such as storytelling, puppet show and games that teach about water and used water education and solid waste management.   

Bawat Patak Tumatatak Goes to School  employs the information-education-communication (IEC) approach and uses  traditional media such as storytelling, puppet shows and games all delivered in the Filipino language. Manila Water embarked on this program because the company wanted to provide an effective communication tool that will enable children as stakeholders to better understand and appreciate proper management of wastewater or used water in every household as a way to revive the rivers.  The programs seems to be the pioneer in advocating this ideal among the students. To realize the objective, new concept was partnered with traditional means.  New concepts about waste water, sewer lines, and solid waste management are promoted through means that are familiar and appealing for its target audience.  The content was delivered in ways specifically designed to keep the students engaged. Creative stories are always interesting for children. The use of colorful visuals such as puppets and posters keep the children’s attention. By asking students to pledge as super heroes of the environment, they are given active roles in the movement. The designed games increase children’s enthusiasm and provide them a hands-on experience.   Bawat Patak Tumatatak Goes to School offers a learning experience for the kids that is both educational and fun. With this, the program can be assessed as capable of being effective in communicating and planting seeds of awareness and interest among the student participants.  Engaging the students now is a step towards sustainable development as these students will have major roles to play in the next decade or two.  Inculcating the value of waste water management in their young age now will help raise a future community that is more engaged and willing to act on their parts for the protection of the waterways and rivers. 

For more information about the Toka Toka campaign, visit http://www.manilawater.com/Pages/TokaToka.aspx

References:
Manila Water. (n.d.). Toka Toka. Retrieved from http://www.manilawater.com/Pages/TokaToka.aspx