In celebration of Philippine Arbor Day this year, Manila Water embarked on various tree planting activities across the Philippines to underscore the importance of trees and protecting watersheds in sustaining life and safeguarding water resources.

In Laguna, Manila Water Non-East Zone operating unit Laguna Water led the tree planting activity in Barangay Carmen, Silang, Cavite along with the Laguna Lake Development Authority, Philippine Reclamation Authority, Sta. Rosa Watershed Management Council, Cavite Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Silang, Cavite Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office and Asia Brewery. Five hundred (500) native and fruit-bearing trees were planted to protect the Santa Rosa Watershed.

In Cebu, Cebu Water, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Municipality of Carmen, Office of Board Member Mike Villamor, Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu Chapter, Legal Alternatives for Women Center, and other public and private stakeholders, planted 1,500 seedlings of narra and mahogany trees in Barangay Lamac, Carmen, Cebu, for the benefit of the watershed in Luyang River.

In celebration of Philippine Arbor Day this year, Manila Water Non-East Zone operating unit Laguna Water led the tree planting activity in Barangay Carmen, Silang, Cavite where 500 native and fruit bearing trees were planted to protect the Santa Rosa Watershed. 

In July, Manila Water will also launch “Pasibol”, a tree nurturing and reforestation program intended to involve Manila Water employees from the East Zone and Non-East Zone business units and their stakeholders in environmental stewardship through the establishment of nurseries, tree planting and maintenance of trees planted in the previous years. ‘Pasibol’, which is designed to strengthen employee and stakeholder engagement, is part of the Company’s efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and the risks of deforestation and deterioration of raw water quality.

This year, Manila Water has set new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets which the Company aims to achieve in 2025. Part of it is planting and nurturing 580,000 trees in the Philippines’ key watersheds from 2022-2025, which will cover 1,000 hectares of watershed areas across the country, including Ipo, La Mesa, Upper Marikina, and General Nakar watershed areas in the East Zone, and forest areas in Villa Maria, Porac, Pampanga and in Laguna; Nabaoy in Malay, Aklan; Luyang in Carmen, Cebu; and Pan-As Hayiban in Calbayog, Samar in the Non-East Zone. In 2022, Manila Water has already planted 207,333 trees with the help of its partners and stakeholders.

“Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the resources of the future. For Manila Water, this means consistently delivering essential services that address societal and environmental needs, using the core business to create positive and lasting impact for the Company, our customers, employees, business partners, supply chain, government and private partners and the community.” says Jocot De Dios, Manila Water President and CEO.