07 June 2025, Hagonoy, Bulacan.  FEED extends its deepest gratitude to Avaloq Philippines and its 100 passionate volunteers who dedicated their Saturday time and energy to a meaningful day of environmental action at Teodora Cruz Elementary School (TCES) and along the coastline of Bulacan, bordering the northeastern shore of Manila Bay.

In collaboration with the Hagonoy Fish Farmer Producers Cooperative, One Child One Tree, and the TCES community, Avaloq’s teams achieved a triple-impact initiative that combined climate resilience, food security, and environmental stewardship:

🌱 Native Mangrove Planting
Volunteers helped restore the degraded coastline of Hagonoy by planting native bakawan mangroves—key defenses against coastal erosion and storm surges, while also providing critical habitat for aquatic life.

“Mangroves are more than trees—they’re guardians of our coasts and a gift to the next generation. Every one we plant today is an act of hope we share with the Hagonoy Fish Farmers Producers Cooperative and other Bantay Dagat (Sea Guardians) in Bulacan.”
— One Child One Tree Founder, Natalia Sali, FEED Ambassador (since 2017)

🌾 IIRR-Modeled Bio Intensive Garden (BIG)
Avaloq also sponsored and established a container-based Bio Intensive Garden on TCES grounds. Modeled after the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR)’s sustainable agriculture framework, this living seedbank will serve as an educational tool, a source of nutrition, and a resilient food resource in the face of climate disruptions.

“IIRR’s BIG Garden represents not only the resilience of Filipino agriculture, vegetable and heirloom seeds, it also reflects the creativity and cooperation of public-private-community partnerships. From this perennial container garden, more seeds can be harvested and shared with surrounding villages, to help build climate resilience in more households.” — FEED Intern (speaker on “Climate Smart Agriculture”) Sydney Maxine Enriquez (3rd year BSc Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños/UPLB), pictured above

“We were proud to get our hands dirty for a greener future, for real. The difficulty of being inundated up to our waists in Bulacan waters, sinking in loamy soil to plant 500 mangroves was well worth the challenge, because it is clear every tree counts and that we need to do more together. The BIG garden we helped build is a symbol of sustainability, growth and hope that we have in TCES and the futures of our children.” — Avaloq Philippines, CSR Team Lead Minco Domingo (picture above right)

🧹 Clean-Up and School Grounds Beautification
Beyond planting, volunteers engaged in a thorough clean-up of school premises—removing litter, clearing brush, and revitalizing outdoor learning spaces.

“Kami ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa mga programa gaya na ito. Ang mga ginagawa nyo ay isang patunay samin at sa mga estudyante na sila ay mahalaga at may natatanging ambag sa paghuhubog ng isang mundong mas mabuti hindi lamang para sa kapwa nila, kundi para na ren sa kalikasan.” — TCES School Reps Ate Niks Gloriosa and Ma’am Patty Abon

🤝 A Day of Bayanihan and Shared Purpose
The event was made possible through strong community coordination and shared values:

• Teodora Cruz Elementary School (TCES) for inspiring future eco-leaders
• Hagonoy Fish Farmer Producers Cooperative for mangrove site preparation and coastal expertise
• One Child One Tree for empowering climate-conscious youth
• Avaloq Philippines for your commitment to people, planet, and purpose

“Maraming salamat sa pag suporta sa aming pangkabuhayan. Sana ay dumami pa ang mga katulad nyo na nag mamahal sa kalikasan.” — Hagonoy Fish Farmer Producers Cooperative, Ka (Brother) Rusty Buluran

GPS Coordinates and Picture Galleries 

Use any GPS (Global Positioning System) software / applications to input the latitude and longitude coordinates to be able to remotely see the location of your trees planted. Some examples include:

Sustainability at Avaloq

Avaloq is preparing for the future by acting on sustainability. For us, this means providing people around the world with more access to efficient and valuable financial solutions, while managing our environmental impact and making a positive contribution to society.

For more details, visit: https://www.avaloq.com/ 

🌊 Ripples of Change
At FEED, we believe that one tree, one garden, one act of service can ripple into greater change. With your help, we protect vulnerable coastlines, restore ecological balance, and educate the next generation of environmental stewards.

Thank you, Avaloq, for planting with purpose. Together, we grow.

Contact us to support or replicate this program: info@feed.org.ph / +63 (0)917 552 4722

#FEEDph #OneChildOneTree #BIGGarden #MangrovesMatter #AvaloqCares #ClimateAction #GreenSchools #EcoWarriors

(c) Fostering Education and Environment for Development, Inc.