MANILA, Philippines - Metro Pacific Investments Foundation, Inc. (MPIF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., has formally launched Shore It Up 2011, the third coastal/underwater cleanup and environmental protection campaign set on Sept. 3 and 4.
For this year, the MPI Foundation has chosen Hundred Islands as its recipient, presenting a unique opportunity for volunteers of Shore It Up 2011 to take part in protecting marine biodiversity on top of just cleaning the shore and its underwater areas.
The city government of Alaminos City, Pangasinan province, represented by Mayor Hernani Braganza, turned over the key of the city to MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan and MPIC chief executive officer Jose Maria Lim.
“The MPI Foundation is pleased to be working hand in hand with Mayor Nani Braganza and the City of Alaminos in increasing public awareness of and activism on today’s most important environmental concerns,” Pangilinan said.
A total of 100 volunteers made up of divers and non-divers from Meralco, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Tollways and its hospital group from Makati Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center and Riverside Medical Center will participate in the mangrove planting and giant clam moving to be supervised by representatives from the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute.
Aside from the MPIC group volunteers, around 150 students, environmentalists, scientists, local government officers and municipal employees will be joining the activities.
“We are pleased that our environmental advocacy through Shore It Up is now a collaborative effort among all the companies within the MPIC group and has expanded to include the local government units,” said Lim.
The Hundred Islands National Park, the first natural park in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, with its alluring cerulean waters strewn with 123 islets, is also home to the fragile and diverse jewels of the Philippine Sea – the coral reefs which shelter, feed and protect a copious number of sea creatures in the park.
The reefs also aid the 123 islets in protecting the city’s coast from the impact of waves. Their hard and soft corals with awe-inspiring forms and interesting hues that glisten mystically in the deep create a magical underwater vista.
“The City of Alaminos is committed to securing the protection of its natural treasures and in promoting Hundred Islands as a tourist destination with its thriving marine ecosystem. We are pleased to host Shore It Up and ensure the smooth implementation of this activity,” said Braganza.
Sustainability programs targeted at the rehabilitation and restoration of the splendor of these beautiful and vital water resources have been implemented. Artificial reefs were introduced in parts of the park where the corals are quite depleted. The success of the effort was validated by the frequent visits of fishes, which eventually settled in or near the area of the artificial reefs. Just like the natural reefs, they will serve as vital breeding grounds for sea creatures, so they could again flourish and replenish the park’s resources.
Now the Hundred Islands Natural Park is on its way to recovery and tourists who would immerse themselves in diving or snorkeling would find it beginning to flourish, supported by both natural and artificial reefs.
MPIF implements its programs designed to benefit communities and organizations, with environmental sustainability as one of its priority areas, especially since its business involves water distribution, power distribution, toll roads and hospitals.
The programs of the foundation include, but are not limited to, education, poverty alleviation, community infrastructure, environment-related projects and other advocacies.
Being a member of Clean Up the World, a non-profit, non-government organization in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program, MPIF unites with communities around the world in a common focus to protect the environment.