More than a Tumbler: Teacher from Rizal, Kalinga turns ‘Project TUBIG’ into a movement for 1,000 learners

FEATURE

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — For teacher Maynard Carbonel, a reusable water tumbler is more than a container.

It is a small tool for health, a lesson in environmental responsibility, and a reminder to more than 1,000 learners in Rizal that even simple habits can make a difference.

This belief is at the heart of “Project TUBIG: Walang Batang Uhaw,” an advocacy led by Carbonel, a Teacher VI and campus journalism coach at Rizal National School of Arts and Trades (RNSAT).

The project provides reusable water tumblers to identified learners, encouraging them to drink enough water while reducing their dependence on single-use plastic bottles.

What began as a modest school-based initiative has now reached more than 1,000 learners across Rizal, turning Carbonel’s simple idea into a community-wide advocacy.

From one school to an entire community

Carbonel initially envisioned Project TUBIG as an initiative for learners at RNSAT.

But the project began to grow as alumni, business owners, private individuals and other community members learned about the advocacy and started extending their support.

With more donations came the opportunity to reach learners beyond the school’s walls.

“Una, dapat school-based lang ang aming advocacy, pero dahil maraming mga donasyon at pribadong individual na gustong tumulong, ginawa namin siyang district-based or municipal-based initiative na,” Carbonel shared with Guru Press Cordillera.

More than 1,000 tumblers have now been distributed to learners across Rizal.

But Carbonel sees the milestone not as a finish line, but as a starting point.

“Sa ngayon, mahigit 1k reusable water tumblers na ang aming naipamahagi sa Rizal Municipality. Marami pang ibang schools ang hindi namin narating, at sila ang next target beneficiaries namin,” he said.

A tumbler that teaches more than hydration

For some children, carrying a water bottle to school is an ordinary part of their daily routine.

For learners from financially challenged families, however, buying a reusable container may not always be a priority when food, transportation, school supplies and other needs compete for limited household resources.

Without a reusable tumbler, a thirsty learner may have to buy bottled water—or simply go through the school day drinking less than needed.

Project TUBIG seeks to address that simple but practical problem by giving identified learners a container they can bring, refill and reuse every day.

For Carbonel, however, the project is not only about keeping children hydrated.

It is also about teaching them to make environmentally responsible choices.

The word TUBIG represents five principles behind the advocacy: Together, we protect our environment; Use refillable bottles instead of single-use plastics; Be a responsible steward of nature; Inspire others to choose sustainable habits; and Give our planet a greener future.

Through these values, a basic need for drinking water becomes an opportunity to teach children about sustainability.

A tumbler becomes a daily classroom—not one made of walls and blackboards, but one carried in a school bag.

Lessons beyond the classroom

Carbonel said Project TUBIG complements existing Department of Education initiatives promoting learner health, nutrition, safe water, hygiene and environmental education.

Rather than keeping these lessons within classroom discussions, the project gives learners something tangible they can use and practice every day.

The initiative also supports environmental education through the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O).

Carbonel noted that DepEd policies have strengthened environmental awareness and school-based environmental activities, while Project TUBIG provides learners with a concrete way to reduce single-use plastics.

The advocacy also aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

When campus journalism becomes community service

For Carbonel, the project also represents another way of putting campus journalism into action.

Project TUBIG was initiated through PITIK NG DO•CUE, the multimedia platform of the RNSAT DO•CUE Team, which he organizes and manages.

The platform brings together student writers, photographers, documenters and mobile journalists who help tell stories and document the project.

But their role does not end with storytelling.

The students help promote the advocacy and connect the project with individuals and groups who may be willing to support it.

Through the experience, young journalists are learning that their skills can be used not only to report what is happening in their school and community, but also to help create positive change.

“Nagsisilbi ring daan ang initiative na ito upang maiugnay ang campus journalism sa mga makabuluhang adbokasiya, kabilang ang pagpapalaganap ng kamalayan, responsableng paggamit ng mga kagamitan, at pangangalaga sa kalusugan at kapaligiran,” Carbonel explained.

A thousand tumblers, many helping hands

The more than 1,000 tumblers distributed throughout Rizal were made possible through the contributions of people who believed in the advocacy.

Carbonel said alumni, business owners, private individuals and other community members have supported the project, along with his own personal contributions.

Resources generated through the PITIK NG DO•CUE page have also helped sustain the initiative.

For School Year 2026–2027, Carbonel and his team hope to reach even more learners.

The project aims to distribute another 500 to 1,000 reusable tumblers, depending on available resources and the number of identified beneficiaries.

The team plans to identify learners who have the greatest need through available health and nutrition information, recommendations from teachers and school heads, and other school-based data.

The goal is to ensure that the project remains more than a simple donation drive.

Every tumbler, Carbonel hopes, will reach a child who needs it—and who will use it long enough for the lesson behind it to take root.

One tumbler, one child, one habit

For Carbonel, the success of Project TUBIG cannot be measured only by the number of tumblers distributed.

Its real impact lies in the habits created among the children who receive them.

Every time a learner refills a tumbler instead of buying a plastic bottle, drinks water instead of going thirsty, or learns to care for the environment through a simple daily choice, the advocacy moves another step forward.

And Carbonel believes the movement can still grow.

“Since ongoing pa din ang aming advocacy, we are also accepting donations from various individuals who want to support this cause,” he said.

From one teacher’s idea inside the halls of RNSAT, Project TUBIG has grown into a community effort touching more than a thousand young lives.

It started with a tumbler. But for Carbonel and the learners of Rizal, it carries something much bigger: a lesson that small acts, when shared by a community, can create lasting change.

What was initially meant to respond to the needs of learners in one school eventually expanded to other schools in Rizal.

“Una, dapat school-based lang ang aming advocacy, pero dahil maraming mga donasyon at pribadong individual na gustong tumulong, ginawa namin siyang district-based or municipal-based initiative na,” Carbonel shared with Guru Press Cordillera.

Still, Carbonel does not consider the number a reason to stop.

He said more schools remain outside the project’s reach, and these schools are now part of the initiative’s next target as he and his team continue looking for resources and partners who can help sustain the advocacy.

“Sa ngayon, mahigit 1k reusable water tumblers na ang aming naipamahagi sa Rizal Municipality. Marami pang ibang schools ang hindi namin narating, at sila ang next target beneficiaries namin,” he added.

More than something to drink from’

For some learners, bringing a reusable water container to school is already part of their routine.

For others, particularly those from financially challenged families, having their own container may not always be a priority when there are other daily needs competing for limited household resources.

Without a reusable tumbler, a thirsty learner may have to buy bottled water or simply drink less than needed during the school day.

Carbonel said Project TUBIG responds to that practical concern by providing identified learners with reusable water tumblers they can bring, refill, and use repeatedly.

By giving them a container they can use every day, Carbonel hopes to make it easier for children to maintain a healthy hydration habit while also reducing the need to purchase single-use plastic bottles.

Another side of advocacy is environmental protection.

This is reflected in the word "TUBIG," which represents five values: Together, we protect our environment; use refillable bottles instead of single-use plastics; be a responsible steward of nature; inspire others to choose sustainable habits; and give our planet a greener future.

Through these principles, the project connects a basic health need with a larger lesson about responsibility, showing learners that something as ordinary as deciding what container to use for water can also affect the environment around them.

Turning school lessons into everyday action

Carbonel said Project TUBIG also complements existing Department of Education efforts on learner health, nutrition, safe water, hygiene, and environmental education.

Rather than limiting these lessons to classroom discussions or special school activities, the project now gives learners something they can practice every day.

“The project also supports environmental education through the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O). DepEd Order No. 72, s. 2003 established YES-O to develop learners' environmental awareness and participation, while DepEd Order No. 52, s. 2011 and DepEd Order No. 93, s. 2011 further strengthened environmental education and school-based environmental activities. By promoting reusable water containers and reducing single-use plastics, Project TUBIG provides a concrete environmental action aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action),” he added.

Where campus journalism meets community service

For Carbonel, Project TUBIG is also an extension of what he teaches as a campus journalism coach.

The advocacy was initiated through PITIK NG DO•CUE, the multimedia platform of the RNSAT DO•CUE Team that he organizes and manages, bringing together student journalists who work as writers, photographers, documenters, and mobile journalists.

Through their involvement, the students are not only learning how to produce stories and digital content, but they are also seeing how their skills can help support a cause that directly affects other learners.

The DO•CUE team volunteers help document and promote the project, allowing the advocacy to reach people who may be willing to contribute.

Their work becomes part of the effort to connect the needs of learners with potential supporters, while also showing that campus journalism can have a role beyond reporting what happens inside a school.

Carbonel said the initiative provides a way to connect campus journalism with meaningful advocacy, particularly in spreading awareness, encouraging responsible use of resources, and promoting the health and protection of the environment.

“Nagsisilbi ring daan ang initiative na ito upang maiugnay ang campus journalism sa mga makabuluhang adbokasiya, kabilang ang pagpapalaganap ng kamalayan, responsableng paggamit ng mga kagamitan, at pangangalaga sa kalusugan at kapaligiran,” he explained.

A project carried by many hands

The more than 1,000 tumblers distributed across Rizal were made possible through contributions from different parts of the community.

Carbonel said the project receives support from alumni, business owners, private individuals, and other community members, along with his own personal contributions.

Resources generated through the PITIK NG DO•CUE page also help support the initiative.

Because the project is expected to continue into School Year 2026–2027, Carbonel and his team plan to identify more learners in town who have the greatest need for assistance using available health and nutrition information, teacher and school-head recommendations, and other school-based data.

The project aims to provide another 500 to 1,000 reusable tumblers next year school year, subject to available resources and the number of identified beneficiaries.

The approach is intended to make Project TUBIG more than a general donation drive. By identifying learners who actually need reusable water containers, the project hopes that every tumbler donated will reach a child who can use it regularly and benefit from both the health and environmental messages attached to it.

Carbonel said the door is open for more people who want to become part of the effort.

“Since ongoing pa din ang aming advocacy, we are also accepting donations from various individuals who want to support this cause,” he concluded.