The Cebu provincial government, led by Governor Gwen Garcia, and Aboitiz Group solidified a multi-year reforestation and watershed recovery partnership by inking a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during the Cebu Investments and Tourism Forum at the Bai Hotel Cebu in Mandaue City on Thursday, 22 August.
The project, called CarbonPH, will begin with joint efforts to green the Mananga-Lusaran River.
Garcia signed the MOU alongside Aboitiz Group President and CEO/Aboitiz Foundation Chairman Sabin Aboitiz, acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas, Jr's representative Vice Mayor Richard Francis Aznar
“More than planting trees, we are planting the seeds of a future where Cebu’s environment can thrive with its people. This partnership with Gov. Gwen and the province of Cebu is a long-term investment in the wellbeing of our communities. We’re turning our shared vision of sustainability into a living, breathing reality,” said Aboitiz.
Reforesting, protecting biodiversity
A major component of CarbonPH is the reforestation of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), encompassing a total land area of around 29,000 hectares. Considered Cebu’s main water source, CCPL stretches across several areas in the province, including the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, in addition to the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Balamban.
The protected area also includes the watershed forest reserves in Mananga and Cotcot Lusaran, as well as the Buhisan Dam, and the national parks in Central Cebu and Sudlon. It was designated as a protected area in 2007 under Republic Act 9486 or the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) Act.
As a biologically rich expanse, CCPL is home to several endemic bird species, including the Black Shama, Cebu Flowerpecker, Cebu Cinnamon Tree or Kaninga, Philippine Tube-nosed Fruit Bat and the rufous-lored kingfisher.
However, the aggressive and illegal conversion of the protected area to agricultural land, coupled with ecologically destructive livelihood activities such as kaingin and improper waste disposal accelerated the loss of tree cover in the CCPL. According to Global Forest Watch (GFW), the areas whose territories form part of the protected landscape have lost over 7,000 hectares of forest cover from 2001 to 2022.
The diminishing forest cover has resulted in the loss of biodiversity, with 11 out of 204 bird species and 2 out of 34 mammal species on the verge of extinction.
Beyond ensuring a clean water source, CarbonPH will also boost biodiversity, protect endangered species, and absorb carbon dioxide, helping fight climate change. Local communities near CCPL will benefit from sustainable job opportunities in forest management, eco-tourism, and agroforestry, contributing to local economic growth.
Residents will be engaged as active partners in the reforestation of CCPL, with the aim of developing a green economy where they could transition to more sustainable livelihood opportunities. The long-term partnership will also involve the development of an environment-friendly supply chain and promotion of natural parks and sanctuaries.
