Green park at La Mesa watershed now open

The QBE Green SanQtuary Park is prepared to receive nature enthusiasts and visitors following its opening yesterday, 16 April, by the Million Trees Foundation Inc. (MTFI), the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), and QBE GSSC (Group Shared Services Centre) at the La Mesa watershed compound in Quezon City.

The park, which started construction on 11 March 2024, marks the first long-term partnership between QBE GSSC and MTFI. The QBE Foundation, on behalf of QBE GSSC, has provided an initial contribution of P3.7 million to support various environmental conservation projects of MTFI.

Leading the green park’s inauguration were QBE officials from Australia, MTFI President and Executive Director Melandrew T. Velasco, and MWSS Administrator Engr. Leonor Cleofas, who both cited QBE for its pursuit of long-term sustainability program for the La Mesa watershed in support of the Annual Million Trees Challenge.

Aside from the development of the green park, the QBE GSSC and MTFI partnership involves the establishment of greenhouses containing native and fruit-bearing seedlings, rebagging of saplings, and tree-planting and tree-growing activities in areas to be designated by MTFI.

QBE Green SanQtuary Park covers 1,600 square meters of the 5-hectare area assigned by MWSS to MTFI for its Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center as part of the watershed rehabilitation projects.

The La Mesa watershed has been identified as one of the seven critical watersheds beneficiaries of the Annual Million Trees Challenge, a noble initiative of MWSS started in 2017 that aimed to rehabilitate watersheds essential in the water supply of Metropolitan Manila and neighboring provinces. It is composed of 2,700 hectares of forest and watershed area, the only forest area in the metropolis. Within the La Mesa compound is the La Mesa Dam and Reservoir which is part of the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system that supplies most of the water requirement of Metro Manila.

The QBE GSSC Sustainability Committee known as Team Verde is composed of volunteers from various towers across the organization committed to bolster a resilient workforce and support sustainable communities through various initiatives.

Team Verde has been involved in various environment protection activities, such as tree-growing and coastal clean-up. It has also conducted environment awareness campaigns among its employees. More volunteers for its sustainability program are being recruited by Team Verde and their induction is among the activities during the inauguration of the QBE Green SanQtuary.

The GSSC inauguration team was represented by Atty Bing Regaldo, VP Deputy General Counsel Samir Kumar, and legal counsel Atty. Cathy Nuval.

The Million Trees Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization and is the partnering non-government organization of MWSS in the ongoing execution of the Annual Million Tree Challenge. Since its inaugural tree-planting event at Ipo Dam in 2017, approximately 7.8 million trees have been planted in essential watersheds crucial to the water supply in MWSS coverage areas.