Now in her 60s, Gloria Lusica worries that the dwindling forest cover in the Philippines will persist as she laments the once luscious greenery that she and other Filipinos used to enjoy.
“We used to have a lot of trees. It saddens me that the abundance we used to enjoy is slowly diminishing. I don’t think the trees left can sustain us nowadays,” the 61-year-old Lusica, who hails from Pilar, Bohol, said.
Over the years, deforestation has drastically reduced the Philippines’ forest cover to around 24% based on government data, resulting in the glaring deterioration of the country’s flora and fauna. Recognizing the need to address the concern, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), through its social development arm One Meralco Foundation (OMF), undertook One for Trees to help preserve and protect Philippine forests through sustainable reforestation and agroforestry.
As the world celebrates Earth Day 2023, One Meralco marked a significant milestone in its sustainability journey with the successful planting of over two million trees across the Philippines.
To date, a total of 2,037,450 trees have been planted and nurtured in different parts of the country under the One for Trees program, which targets to cultivate a total of five million trees by 2026.
Through partnerships with people’s organizations, One for Trees initiates grassroots tree planting activities and enables economic and social development for people and communities. Since its launch in 2019, One for Trees has contributed to a greener future in different parts of the country including Bohol, Bukidnon, Aklan, Agusan del Norte, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon City, as well as Panay, and Cebu.
“Our reforestation efforts are in line with One Meralco’s wholistic approach to embed sustainability not just in our business operations, but also in the development of the communities we serve. As we continue to engage more stakeholders in environmental protection and conservation, we remain committed to helping ensure that the responsibility and benefits of investing in our planet is shared by all,” Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer and OMF Vice Chairman, Atty. Ray C. Espinosa said.
The program is also geared towards reviving local woodlands, providing underserved communities with sustainable livelihood opportunities, protecting watersheds, and strengthening natural barriers against typhoons which frequently devastate parts of the Philippines.
“One For Trees goes beyond reforestation and embraces sustainability by working with communities to ensure that the trees they plant will also benefit their own families,” Jeffrey O. Tarayao, OMF President and Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, said.
Empowering communities
One for Trees has since become an avenue for sustainable livelihood opportunities for underserved communities across the country with tree-farming families reaping the benefits of their hard work.
In the town of San Miguel in Bulacan, 177 tree farmers have been economically empowered by One for Trees through a pioneering partnership with the Green Earth Heritage Foundation. More than planting trees, the farmers also take part in other forms of work such as clearing operations.
“Reforestation goes beyond tree planting. We recognize that aftercare of our trees requires vital manpower. We can only do this if we are able to capacitate farmers to gain know-how in proper tree planting and maintenance,” Dr. Mylene Matti, Executive Director of Green Earth, said.
The reforestation efforts of One for Trees are not limited to Meralco’s franchise area and extend all the way to Visayas and Mindanao.
The program recently benefitted the Bakhawan Ecopark in the heart of Kalibo in Aklan with OMF pledging support to help rehabilitate the mangrove forest. In partnership with the Kalibo Save the Mangroves Association, Inc. (KASAMA) — the caretaker of the Bakhawan Ecopark — One for Trees planted 100,000 bacauan and api-api trees to restore the forest’s grandeur.
The mangroves, which cover a 10-hectare site within the ecopark, will be cared for by some 200 members of KASAMA who have been persistent in the reforestation of the Bakhawan Ecopark since the 1990s. Planting of the trees started in late January 2023 and once completed, will subsequently be maintained and cared for by members of KASAMA for the next three years.
In Agusan del Sur meanwhile, One for Trees provided support to the Manobo tribe through reforestation efforts to protect and preserve the Taguibo River — a critical water source for the community. The trees were planted in the villages of Anticala and Pianing to maintain the Taguibo Watershed.
Local tree farmer Danilo Dandanon Sr., who is among the beneficiaries of the One for Trees program in Agusan del Sur, expressed hope for the reforestation program and the livelihood opportunity it provides.
“Beyond the monetary benefit, I realized that the work that I do helps in the protection and preservation of my homeland, which has been steadily providing me with the resources I need to survive,” the 61-year-old Dandanon said.
As One for Trees continues to expand, Tarayao emphasized the need to engage more stakeholders at the community level to ensure that reforestation initiatives will be sustained in the long term.
“We, in One Meralco, believe that protecting and nurturing the environment is everyone’s responsibility. As stewards of nature, it is our shared responsibility to ensure that the benefits we now enjoy can be passed on to the next generation,” Tarayao said.
Implemented nationwide, One for Trees is a key initiative under One Meralco’s sustainability agenda called “Powering the Good Life” which is deeply rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The program emphasizes the need for multi-dimensional sustainable solutions to address reforestation and protection of forests in the Philippines by empowering local communities with livelihood opportunities and raising awareness to engage more stakeholders in environmental protection and conservation.
