THE Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) turned over its tree growing program to the DepEd Cebu Province division on Monday, June 27, 2022, after partners accomplished their goal of planting 500,000 native trees.
The "School Community-Based Tree Growing" project is in partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI) and Aboitiz Equity Ventures.
Anthony Dignadice, the program's executive director, said the project aims to resolve illegal logging issues by rehabilitating denuded forest lands and to prevent climate crisis.
"Through this partnership, the project will be able to expand its reach and initiative," he said.
During the ceremony held at the RAFI Kabilin Center, Ana Margarita Hontiveros-Malvar, chief sustainability officer of RAFI, said the goal of the project is to mobilize resources in addressing the environmental challenges as part of the #OneAboitiz Sustainability program.
"With DepEd Cebu province as our partner, we set out with the goal to plant half a million native trees through schools and community-based tree growing approaches," she said.
Marilyn Andales, Cebu schools division superintendent, accepted the project on behalf of the different school districts under the province.
Partner schools received educational equipment such as television sets, projectors, portable sound systems, water pumps, printers, and handwashing kits.
In addition, students also received Covid-19 kits, school supplies, and a "Tree Growing Booklet" that will be used in tracking the development of the seedlings that they planted.
"We are glad to have involved our learners in the process of tree growing and we hope that this truly planted a deeper seed of love for the environment and for Cebu within them," Dignadice said in his press statement.
The Aboitiz Group has dedicated itself throughout the past century to social responsibility, fair and ethical corporate governance, and sustainable environmental management. They are therefore more aware of the need to protect and preserve the environment given how directly its commercial operations affect it. They are nonetheless committed to lessening their negative effects on the environment and compensating for their carbon footprint. (CNU Intern Irish Delima/TPT)