Over the weekend, the Philippines broke another record. But there’s a bigger story worth telling about the event.
Despite intermittent rain on Sunday evening, Watsons Philippines and Premiere Condoms set a new Guinness World Records title in line with the World AIDS Day commemoration, achieving the World’s Largest Condom Donation in One Hour at the Protected & Proud event held at UP Sunken Garden.
A total of 13,312 condoms were donated in 60 minutes, underscoring the brand’s commitment to promoting safer reproductive health and turning the day into a platform for open conversation and nationwide health awareness.
The initiative turned a rainy night on campus into a public reminder that, apart from prevention, reproductive health is also about confidence and informed choices. The event became a platform to talk more openly about protection, conversations that are often avoided or treated with discomfort.
Watsons health director, Joweeh Liao put it plainly when she addressed the audience: the donation mattered because it made protection accessible. That kind of access remains a challenge in areas where reproductive health resources are limited or clouded by stigma.
“This donation isn’t just about setting a record—it represents access. It means more people can get protection and support for their reproductive health. It’s a practical way to help Filipinos stay safe, informed, and confident, and we’re proud to be part of that,” Liao added.
Part of the effort was tied to purchases of Premiere Condoms’ Love Bundle Pack, which helped fund the donation and UP Babaylan’s HIV prevention programs.
It’s a model that puts community organizations at the center—groups that regularly face the realities of misinformation, limited supply, and young people who want answers but don’t always know where to find them.
DKT Health president Denise van Dijk noted that sexual wellness goes beyond distributing condoms by backing organizations that teach, listen, and encourage conversations often met with judgment.
“Our partnership with Watsons and UP Babaylan is a reflection of DKT Health’s commitment to community-focused action. For us, sexual wellness goes beyond the product; it means actively supporting organizations on the ground who are fighting HIV stigma, providing essentials like condoms, and driving important education and awareness initiatives,” said Van Dijk.
“We’re all for normalizing conversations on sexual wellness and protection among young people, as well as making essentials like condoms easily accessible. This is about building confidence in our choices—being both protected and proud,” she added.
The crowd at the Sunken Garden—umbrellas out, still cheering—offered a glimpse of what open dialogue could look like if made part of everyday health discussions. The record-breaking moment may pass, but the message it carried remains urgent: reproductive health needs to be easy to understand, easy to access, and free of shame.
Watsons, with its nationwide presence and long store hours, sits in a position to push that message further. But the real progress will come from continued partnerships with campus groups, community workers, and young advocates who know the gaps firsthand.
