Trees planted in bird and bat sanctuary
About 600 team members and officials of different Aboitiz companies in Cebu planted more than 7,760 native tree seedlings in an upland barangay in Sogod, one of the proposed key biodiversity areas in northern Cebu.
In the mountain barangay of Gaas in the southwestern town of Balamban, almost 200 employees and officials of AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Visayas, Inc. planted 1,500 fruit-bearing and native tree seedlings.
In San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, AboitizPower subsidiary San Carlos Sun Power (SacaSun) led a separate tree planting event in line with the Aboitiz group-wide simultaneous annual tree planting, which drew a total of 3,924 team members, officials, and partners who planted 114,007 seedlings in different areas in the country.
In Cebu, the Aboitiz group chose Barangay Bagacay in Sogod as the plant site to boost the Municipal Government’s efforts to preserve the habitat of birds and bats in the area.
Bagacay Barangay Captain Leonardo Moneva said that the plant site and the entire village were declared a bird and bat sanctuary nine years ago. Last year, the Municipal Council declared the entire town as a bird and bat sanctuary.
“Wala na’y manghunting ngari og langgam ug kabyaw. Nakasabot na ang mga taw sa Bagacay sa importansya aning mga hayopa (No one hunts for birds and bats here anymore. Residents understand the importance of these creatures),” Moneva said.
He said that he is glad that companies like the Aboitiz group are helping. Bagacay residents will help ensure the survival of the tree seedlings planted, he added.
Birds and bats are vital to the ecosystem as they act as pollinators or seed dispersers.
Aboitiz companies that joined the tree planting in Sogod are AboitizPower subsidiaries East Asia Utilities Inc., Cebu Private Power Corp., Mactan Enerzone and Balamban Enerzone; Visayan Electric Company; AboitizLand; Aboitiz Equity Ventures; Aboitiz Construction; Pilmico; Republic Cement; City Savings; UnionBank; and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
In Luzon, plant sites included the MakilingBanahaw (MakBan) Geothermal Site in Sitio Mahabang Parang, Barangay Limao in Calauan, Laguna, a host community of AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI). Participants included employees and officials Aboitiz Foundation, Advent Energy, Aseagas, Hedcor, PETNET, SN Aboitiz Power, Therma Luzon, Therma Marine, Therma Mobile, and Weather Philippines.
The Aboitiz group-wide tree planting forms part of APARK, the Aboitiz Group’s commitment to grow nine million seedlings by 2020 thus upholding the importance of a healthy ecosystem by shrinking the Aboitiz group’s overall carbon footprint. The Aboitiz group, through A-PARK, continues to be one of biggest partners of the DENR’s National Greening Program.
“The Aboitiz Way has always emphasized the core value of responsibility, not just in our work, but equally important how we interact with our surroundings. A-PARK trees will not only help combat climate change, but also provide livelihood opportunities for our community stakeholders,” said Erramon I. Aboitiz, AEV President and Chief Executive Officer.
As of end-2016, the Aboitiz group has already grown 5.4 million seedlings in various locations nationwide, putting the Aboitiz group well on track to growing nine million seedlings by end-2020, which are then estimated to sequester 189 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.