Tenet Healthcare Corporation’s Shared Commitment to Protecting Nature

On May 11, 2024, under an unusually sunny sky in the Laguna-Quezon Land Grant, Tenet Healthcare Corporation partnered with dedicated forest guards and local staff from the UPLB Laguna-Quezon Land Grant for a significant reforestation event. Typically, the mountainous terrain of the Sierra Madre experiences frequent rain and strong winds, a unique “micro weather” effect caused by steep topography and the area’s moisture-retentive climate. These weather patterns can present challenges, but the participants’ commitment to restoring the land remained steadfast. The team planted 200 native Philippine trees, including 50 Balitbitan and 150 Marang, on behalf of Teneth Healthcare, demonstrating a shared responsibility for the future of these critical ecosystems. Supported by the experience of Forester Rey Lorida and the assistance of Ms. Rose Bocado, this effort showcased both Tenet’s dedication to environmental protection and the enduring commitment of local guardians of nature.

The importance of planting native Philippine trees, like Balitbitan and Marang, lies in their unique role within the ecosystem. Native trees are adapted to the local climate, soils, and interactions with native flora and fauna, providing a supportive environment for countless species. Unlike non-native or invasive species, they maintain soil stability, help prevent erosion, and are less likely to disrupt the balance of local ecosystems. These trees create habitats that support indigenous wildlife and foster biodiversity, which is essential to sustaining ecosystem resilience. Native trees also aid in sequestering carbon, combating climate change on a local scale while contributing globally. By focusing on endemic species, reforestation efforts strengthen the ecological networks vital for biodiversity in the Philippines and ensure long-term environmental benefits for the region.

This reforestation initiative is part of the larger Ridge to Reef Program by FEED, Inc., an integrative approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of upland and coastal ecosystems. By restoring forest landscapes with native trees, the program improves soil retention and water absorption in upland areas, reducing flooding risks for lowland communities. These efforts are complemented by coastal plantings, including mangroves and coral restorations, to protect shorelines and marine life. This comprehensive approach helps maintain the resilience of each ecosystem, from the mountains to the reefs, by ensuring that they work together as a single, thriving natural landscape. The Ridge to Reef Program is an essential element in the conservation landscape, addressing both terrestrial and marine environments and ensuring that nature and human communities can thrive together.

In addition to ecological restoration, the Ridge to Reef Program fosters sustainable livelihoods by involving local communities in these projects. Through hands-on experience, community members learn conservation techniques and gain valuable skills that enable them to become independent environmental advocates and facilitators. This involvement not only provides an income source aligned with environmental protection but also fosters a culture of stewardship, empowering locals to protect their lands and ecosystems. By building capacity within the community, the program leaves a legacy of environmental knowledge and self-sufficiency. Through these efforts, communities can sustain reforestation work for years to come, ensuring that conservation and reforestation thrive long after the initial planting events.

The power of collective action lies in its ability to bring together diverse individuals, resources, and expertise to achieve a shared goal. Reforestation projects that involve multiple stakeholders, from corporate partners to local guardians, create a robust network of support that enhances the effectiveness and reach of conservation efforts. Each participant brings a unique skill set or resource to the initiative, amplifying the overall impact. By working collectively, organizations and communities build a culture of environmental stewardship that is shared across generations. The shared responsibility encourages participants to remain engaged, as they see how their actions, along with others, contribute to a healthier environment. This cooperative approach helps address large-scale environmental challenges more efficiently and fosters a sense of accountability and pride in shared achievements.

Furthermore, collective action in reforestation promotes the longevity and consistency of conservation initiatives. When groups like Teneth Healthcare partner with local communities, they ensure a strong foundation for continued support and maintenance of the planted areas. Collaborative efforts distribute responsibilities across individuals and groups, creating a system of checks and balances that keeps projects on track. This model not only strengthens the impact of initial efforts but also cultivates resilience among stakeholders to face future environmental challenges together. Ultimately, collective action maximizes resources, unites people behind a common cause, and ensures that reforestation efforts are sustainable and beneficial for the environment and future generations.

Appreciation is extended to Teneth Healthcare for their continued commitment to environmental conservation. We thank the local community, particularly the forest guards who took on this reforestation project on Teneth’s behalf, embodying the same dedication to safeguarding our natural landscapes. Special thanks go to Forester Rey Lorida and Ms. Rose Bocado, whose guidance was instrumental in ensuring the successful planting and nurturing of these native trees. Their expertise and dedication to the cause demonstrate the powerful impact of shared responsibility and commitment to a greener, more sustainable future. Together, they show that whether one plants directly or stands in support, the commitment to protecting Mother Nature remains steadfast and unyielding.

About the Company:

A community built on care. Tenet’s caregivers and supporting staff extend compassion to those in need, helping to improve the health and well-being of those they serve, and provide comfort and healing.

They started out as a small operation in California. In May 1969, they acquired four hospitals, some additional care facilities and real estate for the future development of hospitals. Over the years, they’ve grown tremendously in size, scope and capability, building a home in new markets over time, and curating those homes to provide a compassionate environment for those entrusting them with their care.

They have a rich history at Tenet. There are so many stories of compassionate care; so many “firsts” in terms of medical innovation; so many examples of advancing healthcare delivery and shaping a business that is truly centered around patients and community need. Tenet and their predecessors have enabled them to touch many different elements of healthcare and make a difference in the lives of others.

Their mission is to provide quality, compassionate care in the communities they serve. Creating an ethos of good health, wellness and responsibility is central to their mission and an everyday commitment to their neighbors and families.

Climate Change Action
FEED’s Climate Change Action Programs are community-based planting interventions ranging from:

  • Watersheds: Upland agroforestry sites (protected rainforests managed by Bantay Gubat/Forest Guardians/AFP Jungle Warriors), to
  • Mid-land: food forests (for and by public schools and remote areas far from market-access roads); and
  • Sea: Lowland mangrove and coral plantings (in coastal areas with trained Bantay Dagat/Fisheries Cooperatives/La Union Surf Club, Inc.).

These Ridge to Reef programs endorse the management of waters from source to sea; “healthy and well-managed river basins and coastal areas where people and nature thrive, is the vision behind the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) initiative”.

“Healthy ecosystems are ecological life-support systems. Lands and waters that function to provide goods and services that are vital to human health and livelihood are natural assets that are increasingly referred to as ecosystem services. These services can include clear air, high quality water, carbon sequestration benefits, and habitats that support a range of economically and ecologically valuable resources.” (Source: US Land Trust Alliance)

“Tropical forests have a valuable role in relation to climate change, being a source and sink of carbon…Carbon density ranges widely from less than 5 t/ha to more than 200 t/ha in the following order: old growth forests > secondary forest > mossy forest > mangrove forest > pine forest > tree plantation > agroforestry farm > brushlands > grasslands. Carbon sequestration ranges from less than 1 t/ha/yr in natural forests to more than 15 t/ha/yr in some tree plantations. Land-use change and forestry make an important contribution in the national emissions and sinks. It is estimated that Philippine forest lands are a net sink of greenhouse gasses (GHG) absorbing 107 Mt CO2 equivalent in 1998, about equal to the total Philippine GHG emissions.” (Source: Lasco, R.D. & Pulhin. F.B. (2013). Philippine Forest Ecosystems and Climate Change: Carbon stocks, Rate of Sequestration and the Kyoto Protocol, Annals of Tropical Research 25(2): 37-51)

The average number of trees per hectare (in agroforestry and/or industrial plantations) ranges from under 500 to over 2,000 depending on species and site. In this instance, with spacing of 1 square meter between each Philippine indigenous tree, according to Forester Rey Lorida, field supervisor of the Laguna Quezon Land Grant, this tropical tree plantation can sequester an average of 10 tons of carbon per hectare per year.

May the Forest Be With you Earth Keepers!

On behalf of our forest guardians, thank you to all involved for your outstanding support especially during this challenging Covid-19 pandemic, a critical moment in our history that compounds the seemingly insurmountable hurdles the world faces with climate change.

Congratulations to all at Merck participants who enabled this much-needed community-based support. As CSR Patrons of Education and the Environment, we thank you and hope that your support also inspires others to continue remembering our environment and the protection of our critical natural ecosystems.

Your CSR contribution provides much needed livelihood our forest communities need to ensure full survival of species planted, also enabling them to expand their own fruit and vegetable gardens for their own sustenance, as part of the master plan development of our protected forest.

  • Contact FEED

    In 2015, the Philippine government submitted to the United Nations the country’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030. The carbon dioxide reductions will come from the sectors of energy, transport, waste, forestry and industry.Join us! Help us reverse the Earth’s “hothouse climate” tipping point.

    Mother Nature is Speaking – Here’s what she would say to us

    Tree-Planting with FEED

    Contact us at FEED for more details, to join our regular activities or to design your own tree-nurturing event: info@feed.org.ph or call/text +63 (0)917 552 4722.

    Tree -Planting with FEED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPC29Rwr6Pg

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