PTT launches project to help environment

MANILA, Philippines - Imagine filling up your gas tank and helping protect the environment. It may not sound possible but a program by PTT Philippines Corp. (PTTPC), a subsidiary of Thailand’s biggest oil firm and one of the country’s biggest independent oil firm, just made it happen.

At its Park and Fly branch near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, PTTPC and PTT Philippines Foundation Inc., together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, launched its “Gas Up for a Tree” project.

Under the project, consumers would be able to commit to plant one tree under their name for every P1,000 worth of PTT gasoline and diesel products.

At the launch, PTT Philippines president and CEO Wisarn Chawalitanon said the company’s project is its way of giving back to the Philippines.

Thus, effective May 23, every purchase of P1,000 worth of PTT gasoline and diesel products commits PTT to plant one tree under the motorist’s name.

The exact location and growth of the tree may be monitored online with the help of Wide Out, PTT’s technology partner,’ Chawalitanon said during the launch.

Aside from the Department of Natural Resources (DENR), PTTPC also partnered with National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP), National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP), Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU), Mga Bayani ng Kalikasan, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), and Wide Out Technology for the project.

The goal is to plant at least 10,000 seedlings of fruit bearing trees  –  dipteracarps - lawaan, apitong, narra, and other hardwood species in some 50 hectares of denuded land in Sitio Kanawan, Morong, Bataan, PTT said.

Under the plan, PTT will initially reforest 20 hectares of land and seeks to add 30 more hectares after the first phase of implementation of the “Gas Up for a Tree” project.

More than 100 Aeta families belonging to Magbukun tribe residing in the community will be provided livelihood in managing the nursery of the seedlings to be planted and take care of the rehabilitation and maintenance of the reforestation site, Chawalitanon also said.