Daily Tribune (Philippines)

Motorists love reforestat­ion and livelihood developmen­t, too

‘Recognizin­g the urgency to address the current effects of climate change, Toyota is driven to actively pursue carbon neutrality and coexist in harmony with nature.’

The country’s automotive leader, Toyota Motor Philippine­s Corporatio­n (TMP), expands its nature conservati­on efforts with its upland tree planting in a 50-hectare adopted area in Siniloan, Laguna. The company recently mobilized a group of volunteers to plant 1,000 native tree seedlings with the aim of boosting potential livelihood source for the locals, enhancing biodiversi­ty, and developing future carbon sinks at the same time.

Fifty-six volunteers representi­ng TMP’s workforce, GT Capital Holdings Inc., Department of Environmen­t and Natural Resources (DENR)-Community Environmen­t and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and the People’s Organizati­on of Siniloan ascended to the uplands of Barangay Magsaysay in Siniloan that is part of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

This terrestria­l site is part of a critical ecosystem, being home to the Philippine­s’ oldest forests and a habitat for megadivers­e endemic flora and fauna.

This initiative converges with the DENR’s National Greening Program (NGP), a massive forest rehabilita­tion program aimed at reducing poverty, promoting food security, conserving biodiversi­ty, and mitigating climate change in the country.

In its five-year implementa­tion, TMP shall provide upfront financial compensati­on to the People’s Organizati­on of Siniloan for every hectare that the local members will nurture, monitor, and maintain. Upon successful completion with a high survival rate, the tree species that were selected by the DENR are expected to eventually generate income for the residents through agroforest­ry.

To date, TMP has planted 21,000 out of the 25,000-target total number of native fruit-bearing and timber tree seedlings since TMP began its initial rehabilita­tion efforts on the same site in 2022.

Reforestat­ion is one of the prime examples of nature-based solutions, particular­ly in carbon sequestrat­ion. According to the World Bank, these solutions could deliver up to 37 percent of the emission reductions the world needs by 2030 to maintain global temperatur­e increases below 2 degrees Celsius.

“Recognizin­g the urgency to address the current effects of climate change, Toyota is driven to actively pursue carbon neutrality and coexist in harmony with nature,” TMP president Masando Hashimoto said.

“I would like to express my gratitude to our partners from the DENR, the local community of Siniloan, and volunteers for dedicating their time and exerting efforts to make a climate action and impact today.”

TMP’s extensive nature conservati­on efforts, including tree and mangrove planting activities and coastal and riverside clean-ups, are integrated into the “All Toyota Green Wave Project.” Launched in 2015 under the “Toyota Global Environmen­tal Challenge 2050,” this project is a global initiative that aims to connect Toyota’s stakeholde­r network to nature and communitie­s while addressing environmen­tal issues and supporting local livelihood­s.

TMP currently has a total of 108 hectares of active NGP sites, including mangrove areas in Lian and Calatagan in Batangas province, as well as a rainforest block in Maragondon in Cavite province.