Over 3,600 Aboitiz volunteers join 2018 groupwide tree planting activity

‘Rain or shine,’ close to 3,600 Aboitiz team members, families, and friends participated in last weekend’s Aboitiz Groupwide Simultaneous Tree-Planting (STP) activity in various parts of the country, planting approximately 86,000 seedlings for future generations to enjoy.

Various business units across the Aboitiz Group–Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., Aboitiz Power Corporation, Union Bank of the Philippines, Pilmico Foods Corporation, Aboitiz Land, Inc., Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc., and their respective units–planted various tree species and fruit-bearing trees including narra, cacao, guyabano, mahogany, and langka, which also aim to give surrounding communities some form of livelihood.

The Manila STP was held last July 14, Saturday at the AP Renewables, Inc. Geothermal Facility in Makiling-Banahaw, Laguna where team members from 15 business units planted an estimated 23,500 seedlings in nine sites.

To further reinforce this environmental commitment, Aboitiz team members registering for the event dedicated dedicate the seedlings they will grow in a “Dedicate Your Gift of Life” campaign.

The Aboitiz STP forms part of A-Park, the Aboitiz Group’s nationwide forest cover restoration program launched in 2010 to contribute to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ National Greening Program.

“It is through A-Park that we vow to grow not only with our communities, but also with our environment. Being mindful of our surroundings, limiting our impact to the planet, and doing what we can to mitigate the effects we have on our environment are central to our promise of advancing business and communities. It is this awareness that steers us towards sustainable and responsible growth,” said Erramon I. Aboitiz, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer.

With seedlings planted last Saturday, the Aboitiz Group has already sequestered approximately 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), effectively displacing the 52,000 tons CO2e emitted from electricity use at various Aboitiz offices.

Two partnerships; one million more trees

In addition to the Aboitiz STP, A-Park recently received a boost with two partnerships, one with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) and the Department of Education (DepEd), and another with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), both totaling P46.1 million in value.

With RAFI-DepEd, half a million seedlings will be planted across 500 hectares in 300 public schools in Cebu. This will be undertaken by 50,000 students and 150 DepEd teachers, and is expected to catalyze a “change mindset” among Cebu’s academic community.

With PBSP, another half a million seedlings will be planted across 313 hectares in the Marikina Watershed. This will be undertaken by 50 households from six people’s organizations, and is expected to help reforest the watershed’s forest lands and increase these people’s organizations’ income generation via agroforestry.

As of end-2017, the Aboitiz Group has already grown 5.7 million seedlings in various locations nationwide, putting the Aboitiz Group well on track on its A-Park goal of growing nine million seedlings by end-2020.