PBSP to reforest 100 more hectares in Kantipla

PBSP to reforest 100 more hectares in Kantipla
The Freeman, Community Section
May 25, 2010


The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the largest corporate-led foundation in the country, is once again launching its annual Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan from June to September 2010. For this year, PBSP will reforest an additional 100 hectares of the Kantipla Ecosystems Enhancement and Protection (KEEP) Foundation's adopted 504-hectare area.

The Cebu Hillyland Reforestation Caravan is PBSP's main activity in the campaign to reforest the denuded areas of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL). The CCPL is Metro Cebu's major source of potable water, particularly the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve. As a series of forest fires hit Buhisan and the extreme weather brought on by climate change wreaked havoc, the need for massive reforestation has become more urgent.

This year's reforestation caravan will run for 15 Saturdays and will kick off on June 19. Cebu Microelectronics, Inc. already adopted 3.02 hectares or 8,000 seedlings while the Philippine Recyclers Association - Cebu Chapter adopted a hectare to be planted with 2,500 seedlings. Yamashin-Filter Corp. also committed to adopt 3,000 seedlings while Jollibee Foods Corporation-Vismin, PLDT and Vivant Corporation will field their employees for the annual caravan.

For the kick-off, PBSP hopes to gather 300 volunteers from 30 companies and other stakeholders to plant 12,500 indigenous tree seedlings in a 5-hectare area.

Companies can be involved by adopting a hectare for reforestation or by organizing employee volunteers to help plant trees on any scheduled Saturday of the caravan. A hectare costs P45,000.00 to reforest, including maintenance and replanting of tree seedlings as needed.

Since its first reforestation efforts in 1992, PBSP has been able to cover more than 1,000 hectares in CCPL with over a million seedlings of indigenous, fruit-bearing and forest trees. Last year, PBSP was able to reforest 76 hectares with the participation of 24 companies. (PR)