PBSP expands Bohol poverty reduction program

PBSP expands Bohol poverty reduction program
Manila Bulletin
July 8, 2010


TAGBILARAN, Bohol — The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is expanding its poverty reduction program to benefit agricultural communities, particularly in assisting some 10,000 families gain self-sufficiency in rice in Central Bohol.

PBSP, which is the largest social development foundation in the Philippines and the first of its kind in Asia, is comprised of over 260 large, medium-scale and small companies allocating a portion of their income for social progress projects around the country.

Combined corporate financial contributions are used by the PBSP to fund selected integrated programs in education, health, sustainable livelihood, environment and enterprise development
In Bohol, the foundation works with the local government and various communities. Its expanded poverty reduction program in the province will reach nine rice-producing municipalities and 103 barangays.

Over 92,000 families or some 38.8% of total population in Bohol live in poverty and PBSP intends to help 11% of this targeted group to rise above poverty.

PBSP’s partnership with the people of Bohol has shown encouraging results and the country’s principal foundation committed to corporate social responsibility (CSR) intends to continue supporting the Bohol provincial government’s rice self-sufficiency agenda for at least another half decade more.

Exequil Bahalla, 52, a farmer living in Barangay Katipunan, Carmen is one of 760 farmers who has benefited from the 40 Small Water Impounding Systems (SWIS) project built by PBSP and partners. The SWIS has helped Bahalla and his fellow farmers in doubling their cropping and shield them from the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

“With the small irrigation system, we can plant rice in advance and increase rice yields. This allows our crops to flower in the first week of February and harvest rice sooner. We can then plant more crops (throughout the year),” Bahalla said in the local dialect.

The PBSP has also introduced organic farming using vermicompost and other appropriate farming technologies for increased farm productivity.

According to Jose Antonio Aboitiz, a representative of the Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Co., and Chairman of PBSP’s Visayas Regional Committee, the foundation has “built up the capacities of 33 community-based organizations with a combined membership of 5,442 farmers.”

He said Aboitiz added that after five years of support to subsistence farmers, “60 percent of total household beneficiaries realized income above the poverty threshold of Php 10,435 while 40 percent realized varying levels of income increases.”

Said PBSB expanded program in Bohol will improve farming technology, livelihood, and enterprise productivity of beneficiary-partners in the province. At the same time, public school education will be improved, health needs met, and environment and climate change issues addressed.

To help reduce poverty in more than 100 communities in the province in the next five years, PBSP aims to raise at least P20 million each year. PBSP members have already committed Php1 million this year. The foundation’s German development partners have also signified support by about Php16 million for the implementation of its Bohol Food Sufficiency Project in the towns of Carmen, Dagohoy and San Miguel.

“We are confident that businesses will continue to expand their social responsibility beyond their core operations and beyond their immediate communities. Such businesses have already made  commitments to reach out and support poverty reduction in Bohol,” Aboitiz underlined.

In totality, PBSP, since its establishment in 1970, has benefited 4.7 million Filipinos and assisted over 6,400 social development projects through a total of P7.5 billion in grants and development loans.

15 Questions...

15 SATURDAYS TO HELP SAVE THE EARTH
2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan

15 Questions You May Want to Ask Us About the Reforestation Caravan:

Why only 15 Saturdays?

PBSP will only plant tree seedlings for 15 Saturdays in line with the country's rainy season. This is to ensure that all the tree seedlings we planted will have an 85% survival rate. Your tree seedlings will only have a higher mortality rate if they are not planted during the rainy season.

How much does it cost to adopt a hectare for reforestation?

A hectare for reforestation costs PhP 40,000.00. This includes the cost for maintenance and replanting of the tree seedlings in case the need arises.

I do not have enough funds to adopt a hectare for reforestation. Can I still join the caravan in another way?

Yes, you can! Companies and other interested individuals can help us by becoming volunteer tree planters. You can also help us spread the word about our reforestation efforts!

How can I join the reforestation caravan?

Joining our caravan is easy! Just contact Miss Malu thru our phone line at 232-5283 or thru email at malu.b.largo@gmail.com or MBLargo@pbsp.org.ph to book  your Saturday.

When and where shall we meet for the activity?

It depends on where you want to meet. We could meet in front of Asiatown IT Park's The Walk, where we gathered during our kickoff, or to another location that is more convenient for you.

What tree seedlings are we planting?

For this year, we will be doing enrichment planting using indigenous tree seedlings such as the Cebu cinnamon plant or kalingag,  narra, almaciga, fire tree, kamatsilis, tipolo, bangkal and taloto, among others.

Why choose these species?

Our birds feed and nest on the bark and fruits of indigenous trees, making them the most suitable trees to plant in the forests.

What bird species can we see flourish because of our reforestation efforts?

A lot of them since all our birds feed on the fruits, seeds and bark of our indigenous trees!  The rarest and endemic among them are the Cebu black shama, also known as the siloy, and the Cebu flowerpecker.

When did the reforestation caravan start?

We launched the Cebu Hillyland Development Program (CHDP) on 1988 to encourage the business sector to be involved in our efforts to conserve the hillylands and reduce poverty in the communities. This was in line with the city government's call for the business sector's involvement in implementing development programs in the hillylands.

How many companies had joined PBSP's reforestation caravan since it started?

To date, we already tapped the participation of more than 100 institutions to join us. 

Since you started planting tree seedlings in the Cebu Hillylands, how many hectares have you already helped reforest?  

As of 2009, we already helped reforest 923.25 hectares of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape. For this year, we will help reforest an additional 124 hectares of the Hillylands.

You already mentioned the phrase “Cebu Hillylands” more than once. What exactly does this term pertain to?

The Cebu Hillylands is actually another term for the Central Cebu Protected Landscape or CCPL.

Aside from saving the environment, what other benefits can we get from reforesting our Hillylands?

The Cebu Hillylands is Metro Cebu's main source of potable water. It has five watersheds, including the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, where our Buhisan Dam is. The CCPL is also home to various plant and animal species. Reforesting it would mean more water and life for us.

How is your reforestation caravan helping the communities within the area?

Aside from our reforestation efforts, we also organized other social investment initiatives for the communities to make sure that they still earn more without harming the environment we reforested. One of the technologies we introduced to these farmers is the technique on agroforestry. With agroforestry, farmers are able to maximize the potential of their land by planting various high-value crops that project more income.

What makes PBSP's Reforestation Caravan different from the other tree-planting activities organized nationwide?

For one, the holes are already pre-dug, which makes it easy for our planters to plant more tree seedlings in the area. Our seedlings are also already placed near these holes so our planters will not have to experience the hassle of carrying tree seedlings to plant. We also make sure that all the tree seedlings planted will have an 85% survival rate.

Saturday 3: 2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan

PBSP thanks DMC BUSA PRINTERS for helping reforest one more hectare on the third Saturday of our 2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan last July 3, 2010.

You have 15 Saturdays to help save the earth.
Make your Saturdays count.
Book a Saturday and help us plant indigenous trees now. 

For more inquiries, pls call us at 232-5283/232-5270 or visit us at: PBSP Visayas Regional Office 4th Floor, PLDT Building Juan Luna Avenue, Mabolo Cebu City, Philippines 6000.

Lady jeweler shines in Netherlands tilt

Lady jeweler shines in Netherlands tilt
By Juan Escandor Jr.
Inquirer Southern Luzon
July 3, 2010


NAGA CITY – A plan of a costume jewelry business here to expand and systematize direct selling through the e-commerce and local networking recently won an international competition.

Marianne Olaño, owner and designer of Baycrafts Jewelry, dislodged four other finalists in the category retail business for women coming from the so-called emerging markets, in the Women in Business Retail Prize during the international Business in Development Challenge (BiD) held in The Netherlands from May 28 to June 5.

Her proposed budget is 18,000 euros (P1.45 million).

This year’s competition included another finalist from the Philippines, one from Colombia and two from India.

For winning the top prize in the BiD’s international event, Olaño received a certificate and 10,000 euros (P570,000) which will be used to implement the business plan she developed to improve the sales of the microbusiness and help women in the locality earn additional income.

In an article written by Susan Randall for www.bidnetwork.org, she noted the Philippines as a role model in empowering women in business, saying that “several women from the Philippines attending the session found it hard to relate to some of the obstacles faced by women elsewhere. They said that in their country, women commonly held strong positions of leadership in companies, and didn’t face such high obstacles when starting their own business.”

Randall continued: “In fact, the Philippines has been consistently ranked in the top 10 of the Gender Gap Index over the last four years (6 of the top 10 ranked countries located in northern Europe), and is also the highest ranking in Asian country.

This index, which is published every year by the World Economic Forum, quantifies the efforts of countries in narrowing and eradication the gap between men and women, based on data measuring Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. Last year, the Philippines was one of only two countries in Asia (along with Mongolia) to have closed the gender gap on both health and education.”

Olaño, who arrived Sunday from Europe, was sponsored by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the BiD in The Netherlands.

“The BiD Challenge is an online business plan competition among enterprising ideas that combine profit with the improvement of living standards in a country,” according to an official release from the organizers.

Olaño says the main competition was the “pitch session” with three-member jury who grilled finalists for 30 minutes with their practical queries that tended to shoot the plan presented after a two-minute pitch.

She says she presented her two-minute pitch with her experience in putting up the Baycrafts Jewelry to the present selling strategy through e-commerce, trade fairs and direct selling.

Olaño explains her plan to harness the Internet through formalization of terms between direct sellers and the Baycrafts Jewelry regarding the products it sells, starting with website application where terms and conditions are stipulated for signing in to access other services like catalogues of products with brand and prices.

The information for members included other information like FAQ (frequently asked question) and other references, she adds.

Olaño estimates she still needs at least 8,000 euros (P456,000) to fully put her business plan in operation.

The plan includes expenses in updating and producing downloadable soft copy of the catalogue, ordering brand tags of the Baycrafts Jewelry, packaging materials and establishment of a center where she could conduct direct selling orientation for prospective women sellers.

She targets to provide incentives of 30-35 percent earnings to direct sellers of Baycrafts Jewelry products from the present earning incentive of 20 percent.

Olaño is the sole proprietor of Baycrafts Jewelry which she started four years ago after she quit her work in a department store in Manila and a media network.

She graduated cum laude in AB Development Communication at the Ateneo de Naga University in 1997 with a perspective to make it big in the media industry until she decided to shift career from news hen to an entrepreneur of custom-made jewelry using indigenous and synthetic materials such as pearls, wood, fiber, seeds, glass and crystals.

“We make one-of-a-kind fashion jewelry by buying beads from different sources and assembling them in our factory in Naga City. We also make our own components by mixing media such as seeds, textiles, fabric and etc.,” she reveals.

Olaño says her product market are women 30 years old and above who feel the need to become fashionable without busting their budget by the offer of the Baycrafts Jewelry’s one-of-a-kind accessories which are affordable and wearable.

At present, Baycrafts Jewelry has resellers in Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Baguio, Pangasinan, Leyte, Legazpi City and Iriga City as well as distributors in US, Canada and UK.

Olaño says with the business plan that won her the top prize in Women in Business Retail she hopes to grow from micro to medium enterprise by selling earrings, bracelets, necklaces, hair ornaments, rings and feet accessories.

Yamashin Filters joins the green caravan

Yamashin Filters joins the green caravan

On June 30, the day President Benigno Aquino III was officially sworn into office, Yamashin Cebu Filters Manufacturing Corporation also renewed its oath to help save mother earth.

The company brought 24 employees to plant 3,000 tree seedlings in 2 hectares which it has committed to reforest through PBSP's Adopt-A-Hectare scheme.

“We come up with this activity in order to save mother earth,” Mark Lloyd Cabahug said during the event.

The two-hectare area is located within the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve, which serves water to communities located as far as the town of Compostela.

Indigenous tree seedlings such as the narra, tagilumboy and lumbang were planted in the area.

“Sa ing-ani na pamaagi,  ang atuang future ganeration kay makalanghap sad og preskong hangin (Through this, we are assured that our future generation could also breathe in fresh air),” Cabahug added.

 
Briefly,

On June 26:
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.
Dumaguete City Development Bank
Petron Corp.
Qualfon Philippines, Inc.

On June 30:
Yamashin Cebu Filters Manufacturing Corp.



For more photos of the event, you may visit PBSP's Photo Gallery.
 

Telco workers help green Cebu Hillyland

Telco workers help green Cebu Hillyland
Cebu Daily News
June 29, 2010


EMPLOYEE-VOLUNTEERS of Telco workers help green Cebu Hillyland Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and Smart Communications Inc. helped in greening sitio Cantipla in barangay Tabunan, one of Cebu City’s mountain barangays which form part of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape – Metro Cebu’s source of water, during the Philippine Business for Social Progress’ (PBSP) Cebu Hillyland Reforestation Caravan 2010 kick-off and tree planting activity.

Some 800 volunteers from PBSP’s various member-companies planted seedlings of indigenous trees such as the Cebu cinnamon, fire tree, kamatsilis, almaciga, tipolo, narra, bangkal and taloto.

This yearly activity is in partnership with the Kantipla Ecosystem Enhancement Protection (KEEP) Foundation.

For this year, PBSP targets to reforest 100 hectares within KEEP’s adopted area in sitio Cantipla.

In search of success stories

In search of success stories
Manila Standard Today
June 28, 2010

The administration that will begin in the middle of this week will have five years to go before 2015—the year of reckoning in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The goals were set in 2000 by 189 countries, including the Philippines, at a United Nations summit.

The goals: 1) end extreme poverty and hunger; 2) achieve universal primary education; 3) promote gender equality and empower women; 4) reduce child mortality; 5) improve maternal health; 6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; 7) ensure environmental sustainability and 8) develop a global partnership for development.

According to the UN, the Philippines has made “considerable progress” in some of the goals, particularly Goals 4, 6 and 7. Infant and under-5 mortality rates, as well as malaria morbidity rates, have been steadily decreasing. Safe drinking water has become available to 87.9 percent of Filipinos while 85.9 percent of the population now has access to sanitary toilet facilities, according to the Family Income and Expenditure Survey.

But more needs to be done. The UN’s 2009-2010 Asia-Pacific Regional Report says the Philippines remains off-track in more than 40 percent of 21 indicators (see www.undp.org.ph for a detailed presentation). Almost a third of Filipinos still live on less than $1 a day and 5.2 million of children are out of school. Eleven mothers die every day from pregnancy-related causes. The incidence of HIV has increased five-fold from just from 2007 to 2009.

Indeed the country needs to work double time to achieve targets in the eradication of poverty, the achievement of universal primary education and the improvement of maternal health.

***

The common mistake, however, is believing that the government is solely responsible for the achievement of the goals. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A 2008 publication of the United Millennium Campaign features four success stories in working towards the attainment of these goals. The campaign says that while the government (supply side) covers policy formulation, resource allocation and program implementation, private and non-profit sectors, civil society groups and citizens themselves form the demand side of the equation.

Only when both groups have social accountability,with each acknowledging its part and becoming involved, can there be some measure of success.

The four success stories are those of the Special Congressional Committee on MDGs, Social Watch Philippines, the Philippine Business for Social Progress, and the local government of Pasay City.

The congressional committee sought to increase legislators’ awareness of the millennium targets among legislators and monitored the progress of MDG-related bills in the legislative mill.

Social Watch Philippines, a network of citizens’ organizations, noted that the government-prepared MDG accomplishment reports tend to highlight, well, accomplishments. It came up with the Quality of Life Index which presented information not otherwise revealed in aggregate macro-economic data. It organized local and national forums for building awareness of the millennium goals. It also sought to include citizens’ organizations in preparing budgets by proposing the Alternative Budget Index. As a result, the 2007 budget for education was increased by P5.5 billion while the 2008 budget for social services.

The Philippine Business for Social Progress, on the other hand, tried to introduce the concept of social investment to its member-corporations, encouraging them to align their corporate social responsibility activities with meeting the goals. It also tapped the private sector’s help to bridge the gaps in MDG financing.

Finally, there is the city government of Pasay, hounded by problems of urban poverty and solid waste management, which sought to bring the MDGs to each household by introducing the concept of Family MDGs—simple, easy-to-understand basic targets that each family can aspire to. For example, “We have jobs.”; “All our children go to school.”; “All our children are healthy.”; “We keep our home and surroundings clean.”

To complement the family MDGs, the city government came up with a community-based monitoring system that assesses the families in terms of the survival (food and nutrition, sanitation), security (shelter, peace and order) and enabling (income, employment, education). By bringing the otherwise nebulous and multi-syllabic concept of the millennium development goals to families at the level of day-to-day operations, productive engagement is encouraged.

***

Other tales of success are welcome. This year, the Millennium Campaign office is again in search of stories of initiatives which have made a tangible impact on the MDGs. In identifying what these initiative are and how they have worked, there is a better chance that they can be scaled up or replicated in other areas to affect more people. Hence, progress will be made in the goals, not just in some, and not just in the more progressive cities and municipalities but all over the country.

Millennium Campaign Communications Associate Rhea Alba is optimistic that more cases will be received this time around as the self-imposed deadline looms and as more and more people become aware of these basic goals. Aside from replication, the idea is to minimize disparity among regions within a country and among different countries. The achievement of the goals, after all, is a universal effort.

The chosen case studies, not only from the Philippines but from the region, will then be compiled into a publication to be distributed in global and regional civil society events including the United Nations MDG Review Summit in September. It is said that the Philippine president will be attending this summit.

Deadline for the submission of case studies is on July 9. Visit the Web sites www.asiapacific.endpoverty2015.org and ph.one.un.org/standup. for details of the search.

Saturday 2: 2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan

PBSP thanks the following companies that helped us reforest three more hectares on the second Saturday of our 2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan last June 26, 2010:

• Petron Corporation

• Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

• Dumaguete City Development Bank

• Qualfon Philippines, Inc.

You have 15 Saturdays to help save the earth. Make your Saturdays count. Book a Saturday and help us plant indigenous trees now.  

For more inquiries, pls call us at 232-5283/232-5270 or visit us at: PBSP Visayas Regional Office 4th Floor, PLDT Building Juan Luna Avenue, Mabolo Cebu City, Philippines 6000.

15 TIPS TO SAVE WATER

15 SATURDAYS TO HELP SAVE THE EARTH
2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan

  15 TIPS TO SAVE WATER

Reforestation is not enough to save our water resources from becoming completely parched. Although reforestation helps the watersheds save more groundwater, you still have the responsibility of cutting down your water consumption so more water could be saved and used by the future generations.

How can you save water in 15  ways?

1
Water plants only when necessary and reasonable.

2
When you feel the need to water your plants more, go back to rule number 1. There are more plants that die due to too much watering than lack of watering.

3
Flush the toilet manually. If you do it automatically, you already used five to seven gallons of water for every flush.

4
Reduce the usual amount of water you used in bathing by half. Or take shorter showers to save more water.

5
Only run the washing machine and dishwasher when the load is full.

6
Do not use running water when thawing the ice off on frozen food.

7
Do not over fertilize fields. Too much fertilizer requires more water for the plants to properly grow.

8
Only use plants that can still survive after a little drought. They do not need too much water to grow.

9
Do the three-in-one in your bathroom: brush your teeth, shave your face and take a shower.

10
Catch rainwater to use it for watering the plants.

11
Water the garden and lawn at night since it will give water more time to soak into the plants without added evaporation from the day's heat.

12
Wash the car on the lawn. This will allow you to water your plants on the lawn as well.

13
Only use one glass or water bottle for your drinking water each day—this will lessen the number of glasses you have to wash everyday.

14
Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run on them just to clean it.

15
When you still have ice left in your cup from a recent take-out meal, you can dump the ice on a plant.

15 Saturdays to help save the earth

15 Saturdays to help save the earth
Companies join hands for a greener Cebu through
the 2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan


In Central Cebu, a majestic backdrop of greens nourishes the communities with its rich resources and calming presence. Known as the Cebu Hillylands, this rustic row of forests and farmlands is known to capture the hearts of many for its sloping hills and refreshing breeze, uncharted caves and lakes, and lush, affordable produce.

A gift of nature, the Cebu Hillylands is home to various plant and bird species that are endemic to Cebu. The Cebu cinnamon plant, known to Cebuanos as the kalingag, is one of Cebu's treasures threatened to extinction. Along with other indigenous trees in Cebu, the kalingag serves as both home and food for the Cebu black shama, also known as the siloy, and the Cebu flowerpecker.

For the people who live in Cebu, the hillylands is what they depend on for water. The Buhisan Dam, located in the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, is one of the five protected areas of the Cebu Hillylands. For the farmers and communities, it is where they could get their main source of livelihood—farming—as well as a place they could call their home. 

The Cebu Hillylands is one of Cebu's greatest treasures and most important legacies that its protection has become one of the most focused efforts Cebu has done for the following years. 




Looming doom. The recent environment news, however, present very alarming projections that might eventually endanger the hillylands and those that depend on it. 

Earlier this year, a series of forest fires hit the Buhisan Forest Watershed Reserve, damaging a total of six hectares due to the recent dry spells that hit the country. On February, a few weeks after the fires happened, MCWD declared that the amount of water they can get from the Buhisan Dam has dropped down from 10,000 to 2,000 cubic meters.

A month after, most of Metro Cebu's major water resources were drying up due to the El Niño that a need for a rainwater catchment system has been raised so Cebu could have a more sustainable source of potable water. The situation worsened on May when power shortage further crippled MCWD, which used pumps to transport groundwater from its private wells so it could continue providing water for its constituents. 

All of these events are linked together by one cause: climate change. 

Something must be done to help Cebu recover from the dry spell and further protect the Cebu Hillylands. It is from this intent that PBSP enjoins its member companies and other corporate sponsors to plant tree seedlings in the Cebu Hillylands and help put a stop to climate change.


Companies helping save the earth. On Saturday, June 19, 2010, more than 800 volunteers from 28 companies joined the reforestation caravan kickoff at Sitio Cantipla I & II, Tabunan, Cebu City.

This is the biggest number of employee volunteers PBSP has gathered for its reforestation caravan since 1988.

 

Airlift Asia (Cebu), Inc., KEEP Foundation, Asiatown IT Park, Cebu Daily News, Cebu Energy Dev't. Corp., Cebu Private Power Corp., East Asia Utilities, Fooda Saversmart Corp., Jollibee Foods Corporation-RBU Vis-Min, Lexmark Research & Dev't. Corp., Ng Khai Dev't. Corp., Phil. Guardians Brotherhood Inc., PLDT, Qualfon Phils. Inc., San Miguel Corp., Shell Phils., SMART, Sun Star Publishing Inc., TMX Phils. Inc., Toledo Power Corp., Cebu Microelectronics Inc. and Sto. Niño de Cebu Agustinian Social Development Foundation are among the companies that joined the kickoff.

Aside from the companies, volunteers from barangays Luz, Magsaysay, Sudlon and Tabunan and cooperatives like the Battalion Irrigators Association and Tabok Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative also pitched in.

Janith Boyonas, General Manager of the Tabok Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, said the preservation of nature is one of the cooperative's community involvement objectives.

The cooperative started joining PBSP's annual caravan last June 2008. Their first reforestation site was located in Sitio Manunggal, Barangay Magsaysay, Balamban. 

“If there is corporate social responsibility, there is also what you call cooperative social responsibility,” she said.
 

PBSP has been organizing annual reforestation caravans to help prevent the 29,000-hectare Cebu Hillylands from complete denudation. It was in 1991 when the foundation started bringing in employee volunteers to help the foundation plant trees within 100 hectares every year. Since then, more and more companies are participating in PBSP's annual caravans at the onset of the rainy season.

“It feels good to know that what you are doing is in line with your coop's principles and is also helping nature,” Boyonas added.

For this year, PBSP plans to plant more than 300,000 indigenous tree seedlings within 124 hectares from June 19 to September 25. As of June this year, more than 30 companies already committed to book a Saturday to help PBSP plant more trees.

“We don't just plant—we make sure it survives. This is the friendliest tree planting activity organized,” PBSP Cebu Hillyland Development Committee Chairman Eileen Mangubat said. 

PBSP targets to achieve an 85% survival rate to all the tree seedlings planted. To make sure that this happens, PBSP partnered with the cooperatives to help the foundation monitor the growth of the seedlings. 

“This is a unique tradition of Cebu and we want to keep it up . Help us regreen it,” she added. 


The right trees. Until now, the Tabunan Forest Corridor, one of the areas of the Cebu Hillylands, remains the only rainforest in Cebu that is home to the most number of endemic birds. This is because most of the trees planted in the forest are indigenous.

For PBSP, planting tree seedlings in the hillylands is not enough—it has to make sure that the employees they brought from the caravan planted the right trees. 


“If there are no birds in the area, that would mean that you do not have the right trees to plant. You may not be helping the place at all if you are planting the wrong tree,” Mangubat stressed. 

Birds feed and nest on the bark and fruits of indigenous trees, making them the most suitable trees to plant in the forests. 

“I feel so happy and overwhelmed that I got the chance to hear the soothing sound of these endemic birds chirping in the refo site where I planted trees. Cebu is still the best place to live in, knowing that it still cradles different endemic species not just these birds,” said Chris Martina Gestopa, one of the individual volunteers.


A domino effect. The kickoff caravan is a venue where the residents of barangay Tabunan could sell their crops and earn income. 

“Nalipay mi na naabot sa among dapit ning mga volunteers kay makakwarta pud mi na wala na'y middleman (We're happy the volunteers can come to our place so we can sell directly to them and earn more income),” Marites Ardiente of Sitio Cantipla said.

The entire caravan is also an opportunity for the other communities of the Cebu Hillylands to obtain another livelihood opportunity. When one esteems to plant as many as 300,000 tree seedlings in a year, a sufficient supply of seedlings is also needed. To meet this need, PBSP coordinated with various cooperatives in the area so they can provide the seedlings the foundation needed for its reforestation activities.

“Gamit kaayo ning among pag-provide og seedlings kay karong tig-init, wala gyu'y tubig so hinay sad ang amoang pagpananom. Karon na naa na mi seedlings, naa mi sideline na madaganan (Providing seedlings for PBSP is a great help to us, especially during the El Niño when water is scarce. By establishing a nursery, we have an alernative source of livelihood that can financially support us even if we cannot plant so many crops),” Aladin Pagatpat of Barangay Sudlon II said. 

The provision of seedlings is set to continue for five years to support the recently launched VECO Reforestation Park Project. 


“Thank you for climbing up this mountain not only to have fun, meet friends and socialize, but to also do small things to help save human life,” retired General Tiburcio Fusilero said.


“I would like to thank PBSP for giving me the opportunity to plant trees—again—and letting me experience an unforgettable memory. I hope that the reforestation caravan will be done throughout the entire years to come. It will surely make Cebu a home to every species, not just to humans,” Gestopa added.

For more photos of the event, you may visit PBSP's Photo Gallery.

PBSP volunteers start greening Tabunan

PBSP volunteers start greening Tabunan
By Candeze R. Mongaya
Cebu Daily News
June 20, 2010


FOR Janice Inop, an employee of Cebu Micro Electronic Inc., it was her first time to plant trees with other volunteers.

After a morning of fresh air in the mountain barangay of Tabunan, Cebu City, she said she would gladly do it again.

Inop was one of 800 individuals from 28 companies in Cebu who joined yesterday’s reforestation caravan kickoff of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in the Visayas.

For 15 Saturdays from June to September 25, volunteers will plant seedlings of native tree species in sitio Cantipla, Tabunan, Cebu City’s only remaining forest patch.

Yesterday, the first batch of volunteers planted in a 10-hectare site.

“We are very well attended and the support from companies is overwhelming,” said Melanie Ng, a PBSP Visayas Executive Committee member and president of the Philippine Retailers Association Cebu Chapter.

She brought her three sons to the activity, saying it was a perfect time for companies and famlies to reconnect with Mother Earth since June is also Environment Month.

The trees planted include almosiga, tipolo, bangkal and the Cebu Cinnamon which are all indigenous to Cebu.

Eileen Mangubat, Cebu Daily News publisher and chairperson of the Cebu hillyland development committee, said planting indigenous trees ensures they will thrive and develop the biodiversity of the area. On site communities will be partners in maintaining the seedlings to ensure an 85 percent survival rate.

The target of the PBSP is to plant 2 million trees over the next five years in the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape.

Keeping it green

What is the CCPL?

Found in Central Cebu is a 29,000 hectare-wide expanse of interconnected forests, watersheds and farms. The Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) is Cebu's most cherished heritage to its people with its dependable source of water and livelihood, opportunities for eco-tourism and business, and contribution to biodiversity. PBSP acknowledges this treasure and makes it a responsibility to protect the legacy of the coming generations.


Protect your legacy for the future.
You have 15 Saturdays to help save the earth.
Take one Saturday and make your save.


“15 Saturdays to Help Save the Earth” is PBSP's call to volunteers and companies to plant trees in the denuding 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape, also known as the Cebu Hillylands.

Every year, PBSP organizes its Cebu Hillylands Reforestation, where it invites all corporate sponsors and individual and employee volunteers to plant tree seedlings in a total of 100 hectares.

With the drastic effects brought on by the El Niño, the need for massive reforestation has been thoroughly stressed. For this year, PBSP targets to plant 300,000 seedlings in 124 hectares.


Why 15 Saturdays?
Starting from June 19, 2010, PBSP will do a series of tree planting activities within the 504-hectare adopted area of KEEP Foundation. This is in line with the country's rainy season, which ensures a greater survival rate for the trees to be planted.

WE THANK THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES WHO JOINED US IN OUR KICKOFF EVENT:

• Airlift Asia (Cebu), Inc.
• KEEP Foundation
• Asiatown IT Park
• Barangay Luz
• Barangay Magsaysay
  
  
• Barangay Sudlon
• Barangay Tabunan
• Battalion Irrigators Association
• Cebu Daily News
• Cebu Energy Dev't. Corp.
• Cebu Private Power Corp.
• East Asia Utilities
• Fooda Saversmart Corp
• Jollibee Foods Corp-RBU Vis-Min
• KEEP Foundation
• Lexmark Research & Dev't. Corp.
• Ng Khai Dev't. Corp.
• Phil. Guardians Brotherhood Inc.
• PLDT Co.
• Qualfon Phils. Inc.
• San Miguel Corp.
• Sto. Niño de Cebu Agustinian Social Dev't. Fndtn
• Shell Phils.
• SMART
• Sun Star Publishing Inc.
• Tabok Workers MPC
• TMX Phils. Inc.
• Toledo Power Corp
• Cebu Microelectronics Inc.

PBSP, companies enrich Cebu on refo kickoff

With more than 25,000 indigenous trees
PBSP, companies enrich Cebu on refo kickoff

Starting today, Cebu's companies and other institutions will work hand in hand in making the Cebu Hillylands greener.

More than 1,000 volunteers will start planting 25,000 indigenous tree seedlings in Sitio Cantipla I & II of Barangay Tabunan, Cebu City for the kickoff of the 2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

This is the largest number of employee volunteers PBSP was able to gather for the kickoff since its first reforestation caravan on 1988.

The Central Cebu Protected Landscape, also known as 
the Cebu Hillylands. 

PBSP's environmental efforts aim to help enrich and conserve the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), Metro Cebu's major source of potable water.

Planting indigenous trees in the area can help enhance biodiversity and preserve the home of various endemic species such as the Cebu cinnamon plant, Cebu black shama (siloy) and the Cebu flowerpecker.

Companies and individuals take an active part in PBSP's reforestation caravan by either adopting a hectare to be reforested or deploying employee volunteers to plant trees on any Saturday of the annual caravan.

The REFORESTATION CARAVAN ROADMAP.

The caravan will run for 15 Saturdays from June 19 to September 25. For the entire caravan, PBSP targets to plant more than 300,000 tree seedlings in 124 hectares.

PLDT-SMART, San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee Foods Corporation-Vismin, Cebu Daily News, Punongbayan and Araullo, Qualfon Philippines, Inc., Primary Structures Corporation, Lexmark International Philippines Inc., TMX Philippines Inc., East Asia Utilities Corporation, Asiatown IT Park, Airlift Asia, Inc., Fooda Saversmart, Cebu Energy Development Corporation, Cebu Private Power Corporation and Cebu Microelectronics Inc. are among the companies that will take part in the event.

Other companies that are slated to plant tree seedlings on any scheduled Saturday are NKC Manufacturing Philippines Corporation, Dumaguete City Development Bank, Lear Corporation, Cebu Dynamic Youth, MSM Cebu, Inc., Taiyo Yuden Philippines, Inc., Vivant Corporation, and Visayan Electric Company, Inc. (VECO).

PBSP still invites companies and individuals to book a Saturday and help Cebu's environment. A hectare for reforestation costs P40,000.00 inclusive of maintenance and replanting of tree seedlings.

Companies may also send their employees to help PBSP in planting trees.

For inquiries and details, interested corporate sponsors or individuals may contact Malu Largo at 2325270 or 2325238 or email mblargo@pbsp.org.ph/malu.b.largo@gmail.com.

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The catmon tree is one of the indigenous trees in the Philippines. 


It is said that the town of Catmon is named after this tree, which used to grow abundant in the area.

PBSP to kick off largest reforestation caravan

PBSP to kick off largest reforestation caravan
Cebu Daily News, Community Section
June 17, 2010

More than 600 volunteers from the 18 institutions will take an active role in protecting the environment by planting trees at the start of the rainy season.

This is the biggest assembly the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) will bring to the Cebu Hillylands for the kickoff of its annual reforestation caravan on June 19.

As of this month, San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee Foods Corporation-Vismin, Cebu Daily News, Punongbayan and Araullo, Qualfon Philippines Inc., Primary Structures Corporation, Lexmark International Philippines Inc., TMX Philippines Inc., Cebu Energy Development Corporation and Cebu Microelectronics Inc. are among the companies that will take part in the kickoff.

PBSP is targeting to plant more than 20,000 tree seedlings on a nine-hectare area in sitio Cantipla 1 & 2, barangay Tabunan, Cebu City during the kickoff activity.

PBSP, the largest corporate-led foundation in the country committed to social development, has been organizing annual reforestation caravans since 1988 with the help from member companies and other groups.

The organization aims to reforest the barren areas of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape, Metro Cebu's major source of potable water.

For this year's caravan, PBSP targets to enrich 124 hectares with more than 300,000 endemic, fruit-bearing and forest trees.

PBSP hopes to increase the number of volunteers for the annual activity.

PBSP encourages other companies and individuals to participate in its reforestation efforts by adopting a hectare to be reforested or by bringing employee volunteers on any scheduled Saturday of the annual caravan.

The reforestation caravan will run for 15 Saturdays until Sept. 25.

Companies that already booked a Saturday to help PBSP plant trees are NKC Manufacturing Philippines Corporation, Dumaguete City Development Bank, Lear Corporation, Cebu Dynamic Youth, MSM Cebu Inc., Taiyo Yuden Philippines Inc., Vivant Corporation and the Visayan Electric Company.

For inquiries and details, interested corporate sponsors or individuals may contact Malu Largo at 2325270 or 2325238 or email mblargo@pbsp.org.ph/ malu.b.largo@gmail.com.

600 volunteers to plant trees at Cebu Hillylands

600 volunteers to plant trees at Cebu Hillylands
The Freeman Community Section
June 15, 2010

More than 600 volunteers from 18 institutions are taking active role in protecting Cebu's environment by planting trees at the start of the rainy season.

This is the biggest assembly the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) will bring to the Cebu Hillylands for the kickoff of its annual reforestation caravan on June 19.

As of this month, San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee Foods Corporation-Vismin, Cebu Daily News, Punongbayan and Araullo, Qualfon Philippines, Inc., Primary Structures Corporation, Lexmark International Philippines, Inc., TMX Philippines Inc. Cebu Energy Development Corporation and Cebu Microelectronics Inc. are among the companies that will take part in the kickoff.

For the event, PBSP targets to plant more than 20,000 tree seedlings on a nine-hectare area in Sitio Cantipla I & II of Barangay Tabunan, Cebu City.

PBSP, the largest corporate-led foundation in the country committed to social development, has been organizing annual reforestation carav since 1988 with help from its member companies and other groups. It aims to reforest the barren areas of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), Metro Cebu's major source of potable water.

For this year's caravan, PBSP targets to enrich 124 hectares by planting more than 300,000 endemic, fruit-bearing and forest trees. PBSP also hopes to further increase the number of volunteers they will gather for the annual activity.

The reforestation caravan will run for 15 Saturdays and will end on September 25.

PBSP to kick off largest reforestation caravan

15 Saturdays to help save the earth
PBSP to kick off largest reforestation caravan


More than 600 volunteers from 18 institutions are taking active role in protecting Cebu's environment by planting trees at the start of the rainy season.

This is the biggest assembly the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) will bring to the Cebu Hillylands for the kickoff of its annual reforestation caravan on June 19.

As of this month, San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee Foods Corporation-Vismin, Cebu Daily News, Punongbayan and Araullo, Qualfon Philippines, Inc., Primary Structures Corporation, Lexmark International Philippines Inc., TMX Philippines Inc., Cebu Energy Development Corporation and Cebu Microelectronics Inc. are among the companies that will take part in the kickoff.

For the event, PBSP targets to plant more than 20,000 tree seedlings on a nine-hectare area in Sitio Cantipla I & II of Barangay Tabunan, Cebu City.

PBSP, the largest corporate-led foundation in the country committed to social development, has been organizing annual reforestation caravans since 1988 with help from its member companies and other groups. It aims to reforest the barren areas of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), Metro Cebu's major source of potable water.

For this year's caravan, PBSP targets to enrich 124 hectares by planting more than 300,000 endemic, fruit-bearing and forest trees. PBSP also hopes to further increase the number of volunteers they will gather for the annual activity.

The reforestation caravan will run for 15 Saturdays and will end on September 25. More than 1,000 planters from 31 institutions were already pulled together by PBSP as of June this year.

Companies that already booked a Saturday to help PBSP plant trees are NKC Manufacturing Philippines Corporation, Dumaguete City Development Bank, Lear Corporation, Cebu Dynamic Youth, MSM Cebu, Inc., Taiyo Yuden Philippines, Inc., Vivant Corporation, and Visayan Electric Company, Inc. (VECO).

PBSP encourages other companies and individuals to get actively involved in its reforestation efforts by adopting a hectare to be reforested or by bringing employee volunteers on any scheduled Saturday of the annual caravan.

For inquiries and details, interested corporate sponsors or individuals may contact Malu Largo at 2325270 or 2325238 or email mblargo@pbsp.org.ph/malu.b.largo@gmail.com.

PBSP to hold reforestation caravan

PBSP to hold reforestation caravan
By Jessica Ann Pareja
The Freeman News
June 13, 2010


The Philippine Business for Social Progress will hold its largest reforestation caravan on June 19 where more than 600 volunteers from different institutions committed to take effective role in protecting Cebu's environment by planting trees at the onset of the rainy season.

For this year's kick off day of the reforestation caravan, PBSP targets to plant more than 200,000 tree seedlings in about nine hectares of lot in Sitio Cantipla I and II in Barangay Tabunan.

Small and medium enterprises who have already committed to participate in the activity include San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee Foods Corporation-Visayas and Mindanao, Cebu Daily News, Punongbayan and Araullo, Qualfon Philippines Incorporated, Lexmark International Philippines Incorporated, TMX Philippines Incorporated, Cebu Energy Development Corporation and Cebu Microelectronics Incorporated.

The reforestation caravan will run for 15 Saturdays starting June 19 until September 25. PBSP already got the commitment of over 1,000 planters from 31 institutions as of the first week of this month.

For the whole 15 Saturdays, PBSP targets to enrich 124 hectares of barren lot in the hillylands, including that of Tabunan, by planting 300,000 endemic, fruit bearing and forest trees.

Companies that have already booked on a Saturday are NKC Manufacturing Philippines Corporation, Dumaguete City Development Bank, Lear Corporation, Cebu Dynamic Youth, MSM Cebu Incorporated, Taiyo Yuden Philippines Incorporated, Vivant Corporation and Visayan Electric Company (VECO).

PBSP has been organizing annual reforestation caravans since 1988 in coordination with its member companies and other groups. It aims to reforest barren areas of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape, Metro Cebu's main source of water.

PBSP is the largest corporate-led social foundation in the country. It is the first of its kind in Asa leading the promotion and practice of Corporate Social Responsibility.

PBSP members support Brigada Eskwela Plus

PBSP members support Brigada Eskwela Plus
The Philippine Star
June 10, 2010


MANILA, Philippines - On Monday, June 15, more than 43,000 public schools will welcome millions of elementary and high school students.

The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) helped gather donations for the repair and cleanup of 234 of these public schools through Brigada Eskwela. Majority of these schools
are in the most needy areas of the country.

Brigada Eskwela is the yearly project of the Department of Education, where it partners with the communities and the private sector to prepare public school classrooms for the opening of classes.

The assistance is also part of the bigger education program of PBSP which aims to help improve the quality of education in public schools, bring children to school, and keep them from dropping out.

Last year, PBSP members and donors spent P101 million in support of basic education and Information Technology (IT). Of this, P 1.5 million worth of donations, mostly in-kind, was mobilized from PBSP’s member companies and partners.

This year, the donations range from books, school supplies, food items, clothes, paint, galvanized iron sheets, and other needs for classroom repair from 30 of PBSP’s member-companies for this year’s Brigada Eskwela Plus.

Companies who have sent their donations through PBSP are: Adarna House, Inc., Blue, Bell Corp., CDO-Foodsphere, Inc., Citi, Diwa Learning Systems, Inc., East West Seed Co., Inc., Goodwill Bookstore/Katha Publishing, Inc., Ho Tong Hardware, Holcim Philippines, Inc., International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), Jopa Enterprises, Inc., Lucerne Jewelers, M&H Food Corp. (Henlin),

Manila Bankers Life Insurance Corp., Maxell Office Supply, MST Marine Services (Philippines), Inc., Pacific Paint Boysen (Philippines), Inc., Parity Values, Inc., Philex Mining Corp., Ramcar, Inc., Sterling Paper Products, The Bellevue Manila, The Bookmark, Inc., The Cravings Group, TSM Shipping Philippines, Inc., Union Galvasteel Corp., Virginia Foods, Corp.

Pacific Paints Boysen (Philippines), Inc. donated P600,000 worth of paint to the project.

Citi, Holcim Philippines, Inc., Ramcar Inc., SMART Communications, Inc., and TSM Shipping Philippines, Inc. have also sent teams of employee volunteers to help fix and clean up public schools before the opening of classes on June 15.

Unilever works for the ‘greener good’

Unilever works for the ‘greener good’
Malaya Business Insight
June 10, 2010


The campaign to conserve the environment continues to get stronger, especially with the help of top organizations that take the advocacy to heart by implementing concrete, replicable measures.

In the business sector, Unilever Philippines has been at the forefront of environmental campaigns, working with other groups to create a lasting "green" impact.

In the recent Earth Day celebration, the multinational corporation’s Philippine office was recognized for its green projects. At the first Zero Basura Olympics—a competition that showcased the best "green" practices—it was one of two companies declared Grandmaster awardees. It was also declared the Green Technology Champion. The recognition came in light of Unilever’s pioneering effort of having shredded plastic packaging recycled into bricks and pavers that help build community homes.

"Being a global business means recognizing our bigger role in caring for the environment. This is something all of us in Unilever will not compromise," said Ali Gokcelik, vice president for Supply Chain, Unilever Philippines. "Unilever aims to bring vitality to communities with (our) products and services…so the environmental agenda is a priority all the time… We commit to ensure that our operations do not pollute and (that our operations) encourage others in the community to do the same."

The Zero Basura Olympics aims to inspire more organizations to implement comprehensive programs that will positively impact the environment. It also aims to showcase such efforts so that the public may be aware of greener alternatives and help them make greener decisions. Following the declaration of winners for the business sector, the organizers will confer awards on local governments and NGOs. The Zero Basura Olympics is a project of the Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine Business for the Environment, Earth Day Network Philippines, Pollution Control Association of the Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Solid Waste Management Commission.

The award affirms Unilever’s commitment to caring for the environment through comprehensive, long-range and sustained efforts. Apart from the plastic sachet project, the company has been showcasing its concern for nature through long-standing multi-sectoral partnerships in various water initiatives .

Every contribution is vital in the fight against climate change—this is the idea behind the 10 Million Movement (10MM) which Unilever supports. The advocacy hopes to encourage everyone—individuals and groups alike—to commit to doing something for the environment and register it online.

"We really feel that we are running out of time. We cannot be waiting for one project to be fully successful before you launch the other. The idea is to have a layering of projects which will hopefully address most of these environmental concerns," said Chito Macapagal, vice president for Corporate Affairs of Unilever Philippines. "Filipinos working together can actually make a difference and all we need is to focus on doing a few key things in a collective manner, regularly. That’s what the 10MM stands for."

ECHOstore promotes green consumerism, healthy living

ECHOstore promotes green consumerism, healthy living
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman
June 09, 2010


CEBU, Philippines - Green consumerism women advocates recently opened their fifth ECHOstore in Cebu to introduce a sustainable lifestyle to the Cebuano market at the same time expanding their reach in helping depressed communities by uplifting livelihood resources.

ECHOstore is a marketing integrator of Sustainable Lifestyle which represents products from small marginalized, cultural communities, creative industry practitioners, women groups and foundations. 

“We work through, and network with partner organizations and communities to represent products to help break the cycle of poverty through livelihood programs and fair trade practices. ECHOstore is a profit venture with a social cause.”

The Cebu store, which is located at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel-Gift Shop, is seen to drum up a strong interest from the Cebuanos towards a sustainable consumerism lifestyle. Embracing their products would mean developing a healthy living at the same time helping Filipino producers gain a fair share of their produce.

ECHOstore, owned by three women who are hardcore advocates of sustainable lifestyle concept Reena Francisco, Jeannie Javelosa and Chit Juan will start the revolution of uplifting the local industries by prioritizing locally produced products that are environment-friendly and promotes healthy living.

ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle is the first concept store of its kind in the Philippines.

During the formal launching of the opening of the Cebu ECHOstore, partner-owner Pacita Juan said aside from pushing for a sustainable consumer lifestyle, the store is also the answer to the growing demand for eco and health-friendly made products emphasizing that green lifestyle is no longer considered as a fad but rather a “mega-trend.”

Because of these women’s passion to inculcate the essence of green living among Filipinos, the ECHOstore is evolving not only as a social-conscious retail entity, but also as an educator to communities that have the potential to produce sustainable products that will be strongly patronized not only by Filipinos, but also among foreign consumers.

ECHOstore, which has been in business for over a year now, is also eyeing the overseas market noting the growing demand for eco-friendly products in other countries, specifically in Europe.

Juan, however said that before considering the products for export, they must first strengthen the concept here in the Philippines by opening more ECHOstore outlets and expanding partner communities at the same time bolster its partnership with non-government organizations (NGOs) such as Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), and PinoyMe, among others to spread the promotion of a sustainable lifestyle, not only in the urban areas, but also in far flung communities.

“We are trying to encourage consumers to shift and change their mindset, in considering the alternative way of purchasing products,” said Juan adding that with the controversial global warming issue, and people getting sick, “sustainable lifestyle is no longer a choice now, but it’s already a necessity.”

So far, ECHOstore is working closely with six communities, one of these is the community in Barangay Luz in Cebu, which is famous for its sustainable bag production made of juice tetra pack trash.

ECHO is the acronym for Environment & Community Hope Organization STORE. In one place, one can get everything he/she needs to start the way to living a sustainable lifestyle.