LCF replants Ipo Watershed

MANILA, Philippines - With the constant degradation of the forest along the Ipo Watershed due to soil erosion, landslides, illegal logging and other causes, 82 volunteers organized by the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) set out on a 15-minute banca ride and a short trek up and down slippery slopes of a mud and bamboo trail to participate in its restoration.

Organizations that sent volunteers were BPI Foundation, Energy Development Corp., Philam Foundation, TeamAsia, Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, and UCPB-CIIF Foundation. LCF has endeavored to make its annual CSR Expo a green conference for the past three years. It decided to plant trees in honor of the 616 delegates that attended the 11th CSR Expo in July 2012 as a way of thanking them for their support.

LCF planted around 600 cupang and narra seedlings in a five-hectare area at the Ipo Watershed, and has committed to take care of this area, now called the LFC Forest, for the next three years.

“The watershed is not only a critical source of water supply for Metro Manila, but also an enhancement of the biodiversity in the municipality of Norzagaray and the province of Bulacan,” said Helen Orande, LCF executive director. 

An aerial survey showed only around 30 percent of the 6,600 hectares of the forest in the watershed are thriving. Everything else has been destroyed. “We were deeply concerned with degradation and decided to collaborate with MWSS and Manila Water in implementing its forest management program by adopting a portion of the Ipo Watershed,” said LCF board member and TeamAsia president Monette Iturralde-Hamlin.

Ipo Watershed head forester Glenn Flores explained that Metro Manila’s population of almost 15 million is dependent on the water supply of the Umiray-Angat-Ipo dams. Around 97 percent of the water in Metro Manila, 247 megawatts of electricity generated for Luzon, and irrigation for Central Luzon, particularly Pampanga, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, come from this dam. The overflow of Angat dam also goes to Ipo dam.

MWSS aims to rehabilitate 4,500 hectares of the total 6,600 hectares. Flores told the volunteers that it looks green because of the frequent rains, but “most of what is left are bamboos. The bigger trees are much lower in number.”

In 2010, 110 hectares were planted with trees, which increased to 450 hectares last year. This year’s target is to plant 900 hectares of trees.

“I felt fortunate to be a part of this experience. I not only learned how to plant a tree, but I also began to understand the role that these forests play in the water that we receive in our cities. It was an eye-opener for me,” said Tin Hernandez, a volunteer from TeamAsia.

“We took this opportunity to help preserve this forest. We all worked together as a team to keep these dams clean and its surroundings beautiful. This is where our water comes from, and we took part in the process of stabilizing its grounds,” said Carmela Casugbu, communications officer of LCF.