GLOBAL GOALS

Reforesting one of Manila’s primary sources of water

The One Meralco Foundation and Maynilad partnership aims to reinforce the reforestation and maintenance of the critical Angat-Ipo watershed

DAILY TRIBUNE · Dec 18, 2023, 12:03 AM

One Meralco Foundation program manager Patrick Famisaran; Maynilad SAVP and head of quality, sustainability and resiliency division Roel Espiritu; Maynilad president and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez; OMF president Jeffrey Tarayao; and Maynilad AVP and head of sustainability department for quality, sustainability and resiliency division John Emmanuel Martinez.

One Meralco Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Meralco, has partnered with water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. to reinforce and strengthen reforestation initiatives for the Angat-Ipo watershed, a primary source of raw water in Manila.

Through its environmental sustainability program "One for Trees," OMF provided a grant to support the reforestation of the watershed, which is home to some 10,000 native trees. This initiative also involves nurturing and maintaining the 25-hectare area in the watershed.

The grant supports the reforestation of the Angat-Ipo watershed, which is home to some 10,000 native trees, and the nurturing and maintenance of the 25-hectare area. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MERALCO

OMF has been implementing the One for Trees program since 2019 as part of its efforts to emphasize the need for multi-dimensional sustainable solutions for the reforestation and protection of forests in the Philippines, by likewise enabling economic and social development for the people and communities around such areas.

The program, through the help of OMF's community partners, now covers 2.1 million trees in San Miguel and Norzagaray, Bulacan; Siniloan, Laguna; Kalibo and Ibajay, Aklan; the province of Bohol; Butuan; Agusan del Norte; and Pangantucan, Bukidnon. It also covers the reforestation programs of Meralco PowerGen in power plant areas in Cebu and Iloilo.

One for Trees also aligns with Maynilad's "Plant for Life" program, launched in 2007 to undertake reforestation activities for critical watersheds that provide the water needs of consumers.

"While expanding our tree planting efforts to different parts of the country to respond to specific environmental objectives in the area, we equally recognize that the same program must contribute to the economic and social well-being of the same community that oversees One For Trees," said OMF president Jeffrey O. Tarayao.

"We envisioned the program not only to be a nature-based solution, but also one that is community-inclusive. By giving community members the capacity to plant more trees, nurture them and build nurseries, the program consequently provides regular livelihood to them," Tarayao added.

For his part, Maynilad president and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez said, "Reforestation is crucial to promoting carbon sequestration, which can help to reduce global climate change. With the help of our Plant for Life partners and the volunteers who sign up for this annual activity, we can cover more areas and contribute greatly to environmental conservation."