Fuel firm takes part in saving watershed

CEBU, Philippines - A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and Phoenix Philippines Foundation, Inc. for the management and preservation of the watershed in the Mananga River Basin.

Under the MOU, Phoenix will adopt an area equivalent to five hectares located along the riparian zone of the Mananga River Watershed Forest Reserve in Barangay Buot-Taup. The company will shell out P6,000 per hectare for five years or a total of P150,000.00.

Atty. Raymund Zorrilla, vice president of Phoenix said, the initiative is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility agenda for the environment, even for health, safety and education.

“This is one of our ways in giving back to the community that we served,” Zorrilla said during the signing ceremony yesterday.

The two parties have agreed to find ways to come up with a lasting solution to protect and conserve the environment towards sustainable development. Bamboos, fruit-bearing trees and, other endemic species will be planted in the area.

Phoenix has been distributing fuel for the past 11 years. It has 340 gasoline stations nationwide, 10 of which are in Cebu. More stations are reportedly expected to be built before the year ends.

Ernesto Delco, MCWD Assistant Manager for Operations, said “this is a serious undertaking kay dili lang ni tree planting but tree growing. Trees and water do not separate from each other,” highlighting the importance of trees in preventing siltation of soil and trapped water underground.

Aside from Phoenix, San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progressive have also helped the water district in protecting the watershed.

“We expect more private organizations to help us,” Delco said.

Zorrilla said the project is the company’s first CSR initiative in the Visayas after Davao.

MCWD’s primary thrust is to ensure the sustainability of water supply through watershed preservation. To encourage the private sector to participate, the “Adopt a Hectare Project” came to light. (FREEMAN)