Smart cites progress in reforestation initiatives

MANILA, Philippines - Leading wireless services provider Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) recently discussed the progress of its ongoing environmental efforts, particularly its drive to rehabilitate the forests of the Marikina Watershed.

Smart is one of the main drivers behind the Marikina Watershed Initiative (MWI), a broad-based, public-private partnership launched by the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) to help protect, reforest and rehabilitate said watershed.

In the national conference organized by Haribon Foundation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Foundation for Philippine Environment and the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation, Smart disclosed that it has initially donated P1.6 million to the MWI. This amount was used for PDRF’s various reforestation efforts that include planting of and care for native trees in the watershed, livelihood programs for the residents of the area and several community mobilizing and public awareness campaigns.

“The restoration and maintenance of the Marikina Watershed is very critical since it serves as a catch-basin for water, reducing the risk of heavy flooding in the surrounding areas that includes Metro Manila,” said Ramon R. Isberto, Public Affairs Head of Smart. “Private companies, NGOs, religious organizations, foundations, national government agencies and local government units have already joined forces for the MWI, to prevent another Ondoy from happening,” he said.

Ondoy was the name of the typhoon that struck Metro Manila in September of 2009, causing what’s often described as one of the worst floods to hit the Philippines. Much of the water that flooded the area and caused massive destruction and loss of lives came from the badly denuded Marikina Watershed.

Since the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation among partners in July 2010, PDRF through MWI has already planted indigenous trees in more than 50 hectares of land in the Marikina Watershed.

More than just tree planting, Isberto said Smart and the other companies and institutions involved in the MWI are implementing the integrated watershed rehabilitation approach. Said approach involves science-based planning and implementation; community-based management; utilization of rainforestation technology which uses native trees for reforestation; and measurable outcome for monitoring.

 During the initial stages of the project, they also promoted livelihood to the communities by building nurseries operated and maintained by the residents in the watershed — an alternative to their previous livelihood of charcoal making — an environmentally unsound practice. The seedlings used in the reforestation projects are now being supplied by these surrounding communities. There are on-going studies to identify appropriate alternative livelihood opportunities that are ecologically sound, economically viable, empowering to the community but not encouraging influx of migrants.