Makati, 22 April 2013. In celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd, FEED engaged in various commitments to the environment, firstly acknowledging the tree-planting activities on April 21st by the Manila Polo Club (MPC), awarding the club with an Earth Day Certificate in appreciation of supporting FEED’s reforestation efforts in Quezon Province – and in the hope of encouraging more active Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives by other private clubs, associations and people’s organisations in the Philippines.

Thelma Sugay, Membership Division Manager, who is donating the tree on behalf of MPC says: “As a community-driven club committed to the environment, we need to be at the forefront of going green in all our operations and this is both a fun and informative way to pro-actively engage our members in the benefits of tree-planting and offsetting our carbon footprints.”

As part of its monthly tree-planting events, and in collaboration with its long-standing MOU partner the University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB), FEED committed to the opening of a new “LIVING LEGACY: Plant a Tree, FEED Our Future” season in May 2013.   FEED promotes private sector participation in this program in response to various requests from companies wishing to expand their CSR engagements in the Philippines. The LIVING LEGACY program is also open to individual patronage.

Tom Solon, FEED’s youngest volunteer to-date, will be awarding MPC this Sunday, and says: “Personally, the idea of this LIVING LEGACY is so real to me, as I am planting on behalf of my family in loving memory of our dad, Ruben Carpio Solon (Sep 18, 1944 – Mar 25, 2013).”

FEED was also asked to plant a LIVING LEGACY for GURU Guillermo “Bill” Peralta ARANDA (Jan 22, 1947 – Apr 12, 2013) – care of Thelma A. Sugay & Family; and Mr. Conrad Santiano MANANQUIL (Oct 8, 1936 – Apr 18, 2013) care of the Mananquil and Bakker families.

On May 22nd, the day the United Nations proclaimed as The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDD), FEED commits to supporting the tree-planting efforts of the Philippine Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) in Region I (Ilocos Norte), to help increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The “Ridge to Reef” approach encompasses community-based tree-planting and the establishment of nurseries under the “Integrated Watershed Management Plan of Baroro River” project in La Union Province.  Approximately 120,000 indigenous woods, vegetable and fruit bearing crops will be planted in collaboration with the DENR, Local Government Units, Municipalities and Tribal Communities in the region – inviting collaboration from CSR initiatives of a number of Philippine-based private sector organisations.

The management of (agro-)forests, upland and lowland ecosystems, nursery and plantation establishment, protection and maintenance plans and multi-stakeholder governance systems are critical to the sustainable development of La Union province and the livelihoods of its communities.

“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” 

Here’s wishing everyone fulfilling Earth Day celebrations throughout 2013!

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