The activity was held inside the City Central School.
The Secretary arrived at three o'clock in the afternoon on board a new model Mitsubishi Strada pick-up owned by the Department of Education Division of Bukidnon.
Lapus was accompanied by Dr. Gloria Benigno, Schools Division Superintendent of Bukidnon and other school officials.
The avowed purposed of the meticulously planned visit was to grace the Global Hand Washing Day and to launch another related key project of the Department, the Essential Health Care Package (EHCP), in City Central School.
EHCP project, which encourages proper hygiene practices, promotes daily hand washing with soap and tooth brushing as daily school activities of public schoolchildren in schools around the city as well as in other public schools in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.
The project also includes biannual deworming of school children.
One would, however, think that Lapus is eyeing the Senatorial race in 2010 in the manner by which Governor Oscar Moreno and Representative Rufus Rodriguez of the 2nd District of Cagayan de Oro recognized the presence of the DepEd Secretary in the activity.
"Though I am in the opposition, I will give my full support to Sec. Lapus and he will win here in Cagayan de Oro especially in my district," Rodriguez told the audience.
The Congressman lauded Lapus' performance citing a recent Pulse Asia survey which rated Lapus as the best performing secretary of the Arroyo administration.
"Mahirap makakuha ng approval rating for Senatorial race, but Sec. Lapus easily got it," Governor Moreno added.
Lapus, however, was mum with regard to all the praises heaped upon him.
Myrna Mandawe, Division Association of Secondary School Heads in the Philippines DAPSHE) president and Principal of Gusa Regional Science High School later disclosed that a dinner in honor of the Secretary and shouldered by the City Schools Division was held on the same day in one of the restaurants in the city.
