04 October 2016, Makati. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) International Inc.’s donation to FEED contributed to the planting of 40 indigenous Philippine trees, from the master list of 96 priority endangered tree species selected for their superior strength and high economic and aesthetic values – among others, kamagong, malabayabas, and tindalo – at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)-Energy Development Corporation (EDC) “Binhi Biodiversity Park”.
The Binhi Biodiversity Park is situated behind the UPLB’s College of Forestry & Natural Resources (CFNR)’s Forest Science Building in Laguna, and open to the public. A hilly, nature-themed and paved trek begins from the marker that establishes the Park’s identity and its founding institutions, then leads visitors into the actual plantation area via a network of trails with signages bearing the scientific names of the families of featured trees.
On Biodiversity – Why are We Losing Species?
Extinction is part of the natural evolutionary process. Various species of plants and animals eventually die out (succumb to extinction) over time. However, loss of biodiversity in the modern world has become significantly influenced by factors such as habitat destruction, exploitation, and climate change, all of which have become heavily human-influenced.
Habitat Destruction
The encroachment of human populations on several plant and animal species’ natural habitats has been a primary agent for the loss of biodiversity. Displacement from one’s habitat leaves species vulnerable to harsher new living conditions, predation from other species, and scarcity or inaccessibility of resources required for survival. Worthy of note in this case is the heightened vulnerability of endemic species, or those that belong within a very restricted geographic area.
In the Philippines, deforestation (forest denudation and fragmentation) is a leading cause of habitat destruction that negatively impacts biodiversity on an exponential scale. Poorly controlled logging and mining activities have created mostly irreparable damage to forest cover, affecting the diverse assemblages of flora and fauna that inhabit those primary forest territories. Regardless of the slight improvement over the past decade, these numbers still illustrate a severe drop from 70% at the start of the 20th century.
Through the years, conversion of land for residential and commercial use has also contributed the same effects in lower-lying habitats.
In like manner, marine habitats such as coral reefs are being destroyed by way of irresponsible and unsustainable fishing and aquaculture is harming marine habitats ecosystems all over the country. Notable examples of these are dynamite and poison-dependent fishing practices that are still being practiced to this day, as well as more recent developments such as black sand mining in the northern Philippines. As a result, the Philippine coral reef system is down to 5% in terms of being in excellent condition, as over 32% are already severely damaged. The World Resources Institute more recently (July 2013) reports that 85% of the reefs in the Coral Triangle (the region covering countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, et al.) are threatened, shadowing the global average which stands at 60%.
Source: Fostering Partnerships for the Environment (FPE), Inc., Philippines
Thank you to BPO International Inc. for contributing towards the preservation of the Philippine environment.
About Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) International Inc.
BPO International Inc. is the largest privately-owned Finance, Accounting and Human Resource business process outsourcing (BPO) company in the Philippines. BPO International enjoys a rich accounting heritage borne out of its inception in the early ’70s as the outsourcing unit of SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co.), the largest professional services firm in the Philippines and a member practice of Ernst & Young Global. In 2002, BPO International acquired SGV’s BPO unit. Today, with over 300 finance and accounting professionals, BPO International has a customer list of over 400 prominent local and multinational clients. See more here: https://www.bposerve.com
More Information
For more information on organising your Corporate Social Responsibity (CSR) program or tree-planting, email info@feed.org.ph or call +63 (0)917 552 4722.
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