One Meralco Foundation’s One For Trees continues
AS Super Typhoon “Karding” lashed Central Luzon on Sept. 25, 2022, “Sierra Madre” along with the hashtag #SaveSierraMadre were among the trending topics on social media.
The mountain range has once again shown just how crucial it is in protecting the northeastern part of the country against extreme weather disturbances.
It was also in time for Save Sierra Madre Day (every September 26 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 413) which commemorates the day in 2009 when Typhoon “Ondoy” dumped heavy rains and massive flooding in Metro Manila causing massive destruction of properties and casualties.
The disaster was attributed to the continued deforestation, degradation, and destruction of the Sierra Madre mountains.
The Sierra Madre Mountains truly have incomparable importance.
According to the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission (CCC), the Sierra Madre mountain range also plays a particularly significant role in Metro Manila’s major water supply demands, along with the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, Aurora, Quezon, Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan.
As its response to the need for continuously building awareness and to actively participate in the rehabilitation, reforestation, protection and conservation of the Sierra Madre mountains, One Meralco Foundation implemented its One For Trees program in the Laguna-Quezon Land Grant area in partnership with Fostering Education and Environmental Development (FEED) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
The initiative also hopes to contribute to the land’s bid to achieve a Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and develop the area as a sustainable forest and a major biodiversity hub.
One Meralco Foundation Program Manager for One For Trees Patrick
Famisaran explained why activities like tree planting will eventually help the next generation: “Last month as Sierra Madre protected us from the wrath of Typhoon Karding we had a reality check on how our mountains and trees have become our allies for survival and that exactly is the point of One For Trees. Over time, reforestation enriches the biodiversity of the area which will sustain ecosystems here, including our own survival.”