2 July 2019, Siniloan, Laguna – Sierra Madre Mountain Range. 600 indigenous Philippine forest trees were planted by 96 Eco-Warriors from the Regulatory Affairs – Global Drug Development team of Novartis Healthcare Philippines, Inc. and Novartis Employees Savings and Credit Cooperative, Inc.
Additionally, a PHP10,000 contribution to the FEED Scholarship Fund for Agro-Forestry & Livelihood Practical Programs & Research was also included in their donation, funds of which will be allocated directly and fully towards a deserving Filipino/a scholar pursing practical studies in sustainability and related studies in 2019.
After registration, refreshments and breakfast, the participants were briefed about FEED and its scholarship and climate change action programs; followed by a technical talk by Forester Rey Lorida’s Status of Philippine Forests 2018 updated, which generated much concern amongst participants about how we could each take steps to help.
The 96 Novartis strong team of Eco-Warriors then proceeded to a 20 minute moderately paced accessible forest trail to reach their site from base camp, accompanied by 15 forest guards who assisted their trek to their planting site of less than a hectare at around 1,620 ft uplands in the Sierra Madre mountain range of the Laguna Quezon Land Grant of FEED’s Living Legacy partner of almost 20 years, the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
600 indigenous Philippine forest tree seedlings (average 9 months old each) were planted in 50 minutes, as the site had been prepared earlier the same morning by the forest guards – who typically spend their days traversing the over 9,000 hectare protected forest – also ensuring the protection and maintenance of trees, some of which are centennials.
Advanced site preparation is necessary to ensure standardisation in approach and application of species planted, with 1 meter spacing in between and 12 inch deep dug holes – mimicking the species selection and behavioural growth of trees appropriate to that part of the ridge.
“Our ambition is to be a catalyst for positive change and a leader in environmental sustainability….We aim to drive sustainability through our own operations, as well as those of our suppliers, and we have set ambitious targets to minimize our impacts on climate, waste and water. We have already made significant progress. While Novartis Group sales have more than doubled in 15 years, our consumption of energy and water has increased at a much slower pace and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been reduced.” – Novartis on becoming an environmentally sustainable business
FEED and Novartis are both are signatories of the UN Global Compact, a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is to encourage and work in multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary partnership towards taking climate change action – for no one agency or person can make it happen alone (Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development).
Thank you Novartis Eco-Warriors – may the FOREST be with you, always!
HC |
Last Name |
First Name |
Groupings |
49 |
Pineda |
Karen |
Trekking |
|
1 |
Reyes |
Nina Winrose |
Trekking |
50 |
Ruz |
Alma |
Trekking |
|
2 |
Santamaria |
Maleen |
Trekking |
51 |
Sabanal |
Admon |
Trekking |
|
3 |
Grefal |
Marie April |
Trekking |
52 |
Siscar |
Marita |
Nursery |
|
4 |
Argana |
Cristina |
Nursery |
53 |
Sonsona |
Bing |
Trekking |
|
5 |
Domingo |
Francis |
Nursery |
54 |
Sy |
Maynard |
Trekking |
|
6 |
Tria |
Allen |
Trekking |
55 |
Terrado |
Ihris Jay |
Trekking |
|
7 |
Cercado |
Ephraim |
Trekking |
56 |
Yap |
Kim |
Trekking |
|
8 |
Chua |
Pamela |
Trekking |
57 |
Apolis |
Eika Grace |
Nursery |
|
9 |
Dominguez |
Katrina Paula |
Trekking |
58 |
Chau |
Nguyen Tien |
Trekking |
|
10 |
Vargas |
Maryann |
Trekking |
59 |
Viyokom |
Soraya |
Trekking |
|
11 |
Delgado |
Analyn |
Trekking |
60 |
Guino |
Jan Michael |
Trekking |
|
12 |
Macatuggal |
Marie Louise |
Trekking |
61 |
Espino |
Cris |
Trekking |
|
13 |
Reyes |
Angelica |
Trekking |
62 |
Sison |
Gottard |
Trekking |
|
14 |
Puente |
Kristine Anne |
Trekking |
63 |
Masicat |
Kenjie |
Trekking |
|
15 |
Rubillar |
April Nicholi |
Trekking |
64 |
Santillan |
Rochelle |
Trekking |
|
16 |
Berdin |
Lucelle |
Nursery |
65 |
Valerio |
Dennis |
Trekking |
|
17 |
Barandon |
Michelle |
Trekking |
66 |
Molina |
Mary Jane |
Trekking |
|
18 |
Ricafort |
Melissa |
Trekking |
67 |
Canelas |
Mildred |
Nursery |
|
19 |
Shimizu |
Yu |
Trekking |
68 |
Palma |
Erwin |
Trekking |
|
20 |
Urias |
Justine |
Trekking |
69 |
Navarro |
Nikka |
Trekking |
|
21 |
Joaquin |
Francesca |
Trekking |
70 |
Reyes |
Jay Kris |
Trekking |
|
22 |
Lozano |
Madonna |
Trekking |
71 |
Tsumura |
Jugo |
Trekking |
|
23 |
Tayamora |
Rachel |
Trekking |
72 |
Espano-Rivera |
Trish |
Nursery |
|
24 |
Francisco |
Adrian |
Trekking |
73 |
Ramirez |
Karen |
Trekking |
|
25 |
Sosa |
Mary Bernadette |
Trekking |
74 |
Sayson |
Suntee |
Trekking |
|
26 |
Co |
Kristelyn |
Trekking |
75 |
Castillo |
Jian |
Trekking |
|
27 |
Dizon |
Marvelyn |
Trekking |
76 |
Evaristo |
Smile |
Trekking |
|
28 |
Pangan |
Eileen |
Trekking |
77 |
Betia |
Anne |
Trekking |
|
29 |
Paulino |
Leslie |
Trekking |
78 |
Rosini |
Carol |
Nursery |
|
30 |
Soto |
Christian |
Trekking |
79 |
Castillo |
Alquin |
Trekking |
|
31 |
Tuazon |
Clairemarie |
Trekking |
80 |
Clarin |
Cheryl Marie |
Trekking |
|
32 |
Lirazan |
Rita |
Trekking |
81 |
Mercado |
Merloisa |
Trekking |
|
33 |
Bo |
Vincent |
Trekking |
82 |
Gomez |
Marie Mirasol |
Nursery |
|
34 |
Garcia |
Irene |
Trekking |
83 |
Alegre |
Runith |
Trekking |
|
35 |
Guenez |
Riquemar |
Trekking |
84 |
Criste |
Roschelle |
Trekking |
|
36 |
Cuenco |
Sonny |
Trekking |
85 |
Domingo |
Malvin |
Trekking |
|
37 |
Fajardo |
Jocelyn |
Trekking |
86 |
Mangubat |
Jocelyn |
Nursery |
|
38 |
Santiago |
Joanna Marie |
Trekking |
87 |
Panganiban |
Jerald |
Nursey |
|
39 |
Luistro |
Rachelle Louise |
Trekking |
88 |
Cunanan |
Edith |
Nursery |
|
40 |
Rivera |
Thessa Mia |
Trekking |
89 |
Catacutan |
Marvin John |
Trekking |
|
41 |
Arcaira, Jr. |
Benjamin |
Trekking |
90 |
Drueco |
Joshua |
Trekking |
|
42 |
Bueno |
Cara Marie |
Trekking |
91 |
Nalundasan |
Roberto |
Trekking |
|
43 |
Apolonio |
Jinkie |
Trekking |
92 |
Calingasin |
Anna Liza |
Trekking |
|
44 |
Giron |
Maria Luisa |
Trekking |
93 |
Malacad |
Aileen |
Trekking |
|
45 |
Addatu |
Jun |
Trekking |
94 |
Claud |
Cyril |
Trekking |
|
46 |
Chua |
Charel |
Trekking |
95 |
Tan |
Catherine |
Trekking |
|
47 |
Licop |
Anna |
Trekking |
96 |
Vales |
Rosamar Reena |
Trekking |

Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Philippines
Photo Slideshow – Novartis Tree Planting
Photo Journal – Novartis Nursery Establishment
About NOVARTIS & Corporate Responsibility
Our commitment: improving health through responsible business
We aim to improve global health. Through our business, we make an important contribution to society: We discover and develop innovative medicines. Novartis collaborates with others to help address some of the world’s greatest health challenges. We focus our corporate responsibility work on two areas that underscore our mission of caring and curing: expanding access to healthcare and doing business responsibly.
Expanding access to healthcare
We work to control and eliminate diseases such as malaria and leprosy, pioneer new business approaches to reach underserved patients, and find new treatments and adaptive solutions to improve health in developing countries.
Doing business responsibly
This is a core part of Novartis. We are committed to creating a culture of integrity and demonstrate ethical leadership – because as a global leader in healthcare, we have a responsibility to serve as a role model in how we conduct our business. We also care for our associates, work to positively contribute to our communities, and strive for environmental sustainability.
More here: https://www.novartis.com.ph
The Best Technology for Fighting Climate Change Isn’t a Technology – Forests are the most powerful and efficient carbon-capture system on the planet.
By Han de Groot on December 5, 2018
The latest IPCC report does not mince words about the state of our planet: we must act now to achieve global change at a scale that has “no documented historical precedent” in order to avoid the climate catastrophe that would result from a 2 degree C rise in average global temperature. Climate change already disproportionately affects the world’s most vulnerable people including poor rural communities that depend on the land for their livelihoods and coastal communities throughout the tropics. Indeed, we have already seen the stark asymmetry of suffering resulting from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires and more.
So far, advocates and politicians have tended to focus on reducing fossil fuel consumption through technology and/or policy, such as a steep carbon tax, as climate solutions. These proposals are, of course, essential to reducing manmade carbon emissions—71 percent of which are generated by just 100 fossil fuel companies. For this reason, fossil-fuel–related emissions reductions rightly figure heavily in the national climate commitments of the 181 nations that signed the global Paris Agreement.
Yet the international focus on fossil fuels has overshadowed the most powerful and cost-efficient carbon-capture technology the world has yet seen: forests. Recent scientific research confirms that forests and other “natural climate solutions” are absolutely essential in mitigating climate change, thanks to their carbon sequestering and storage capabilities. In fact, natural climate solutions can help us achieve 37 percent of our climate target, even though they currently receive only 2.5 percent of public climate financing.
Forests’ power to store carbon dioxide through the simple process of tree growth is staggering: one tree can store an average of about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide in one year. Recent research shows intact forests are capable of storing the equivalent of the carbon dioxide emissions of entire countries such as Peru and Colombia.
For this reason, policy makers and business leaders must create and enforce ambitious policies and incentives to prevent deforestation, foster reforestation of degraded land, and support the sustainable management of standing forests in the fight against climate change. Protecting the world’s forests ensures they can continue to provide essential functions aside from climate stability, including producing oxygen, filtering water and supporting biodiversity. Not only do all the world’s people depend on forests to provide clean air, clean water, oxygen, and medicines, but 1.6 billion people rely on them directly for their livelihoods.
Unfortunately, we are fighting a crisis of deforestation, much of it driven by conversion to agricultural lands to produce a handful of resource-intensive commodities, despite zero-deforestation commitments from companies and governments. With increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, insufficient emissions reductions and continued high rates of deforestation, urgent action is needed to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Now is the time to increase investment in and attention to forest protection and restoration. In doing so, we will also address a number of other pressing global issues. For example, increasing tree cover can help address the problem of food security in many areas. Trees can enhance farm productivity and provide farmers with another source of revenue through the sale of fruits, nuts or timber—all while storing carbon dioxide. It is estimated that increased investment in the multi-strata agroforestry area could help sequester up to 9.28 gigatons of carbon dioxide, while saving a net $709.8 billion by 2050. In production landscapes where large-scale tree cover increases are difficult, agroforestry serves as an attractive compromise.
And in less-developed, rural areas—especially in the tropics—community-based sustainable forest management programs can provide pathways out of poverty. In the Petén region of Guatemala, for instance, community-managed forests have boasted a near-zero deforestation rateover the past 14 years, as compared to 12 percent in nearby protected areas and buffer zones. These communities have built low-impact, sustainable forest-based businesses that have bolstered the economy of the region enough to fund the creation of local schools and health services. Their success is especially poignant in a region otherwise besieged by deforestation; outside the community-managed zones, deforestation rates increase by 20x.
Finally, landscape restoration promises an unparalleled return on investment, in terms of ecosystem services and carbon sequestered and stored. Landscape restoration could potentially sequester up to 1.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide every year, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Reforestation projects can also intersect neatly and positively with human systems—restored forests provide a renewed resource base and new economic opportunities for communities.”
Contact FEED
FEED runs a number of Students and Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE); Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – such as mangrove planting for coastal protection or ridge reforestation plantings; One Child, One Tree; Bio-Intensive Gardens (BIG) for nutrition in public elementary schools and other spaces; Climate Change Survival 101 and other LIVING LEGACY programs – customised environmental engagement activities for individuals and organisations interested in contributing to climate change adaptation efforts and greening critical areas such as watersheds, ridges, and reefs that all require rehabilitation.
Tree-Planting with FEED: Video
Check out the video journey by Clueless Commuter who planted with us last 24th of June 2017 to get a good idea of how FEED plantings go: https://youtu.be/KROn4rjVqBg
Contact us at FEED for more details, to join our regular activities or to design your own CSR Program: info@feed.org.ph or call/text +63 (0)917 552 4722.
© Fostering Education & Environment for Development, Inc.