Globe joins the rest of the world in celebrating the International Year of Forests this year with its partnership with Haribon Foundation, a membership organization committed to nature conservation through community empowerment and scientific excellence. Haribon Foundation is one of the four beneficiaries of this year’s Run4Home, which drew close to 8,000 runners.
With runners and environmental advocates selecting Haribon Foundation as their chosen beneficiary and supporting their worthy causes during the annual charity fun organized by Globe, over 800 seedlings will be planted and nurtured for the next 3 years. To be planted inBaras, Rizal, these seedlings will contribute to Haribon’s Rainforestation Organizations and Advocates (ROAD) to 2020 campaign, a movement to restore one million hectares of Philippine forests.
Unfortunately, the degradation of local forests continues to be one of the least concerns of many Filipinos. According to a study conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2003, forest cover in the country has dwindled to 24%.
With the effects of climate change becoming more apparent, it is important to protect and restore remaining forests. A forest is more than just a collection of trees or a panorama we see while traveling to far-flung places. Forests are natural buffers to storms; they hold the soil to minimize floods. They regulate climate by serving as carbon sinks. They are home not just to a variety of plants and animals but also to indigenous brothers and sisters, whose culture and heritage are deeply rooted in the forests.
“Aside from building homes, we also wanted to protect everyone’s home – our environment. We are happy to partner with Haribon Foundation and help fund some of their projects. Through our partnership, we were able to educate more people about important issues like environmental protection and sustainability. Ultimately, we hope our efforts will help achieve a more sustainable environment for future generations,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.
According to Jesus Francisco, Haribon Foundation Chair, the organization encourages assistance from companies like Globe to fulfill their projects. “We are very grateful to be one of the beneficiaries of this year’s Run4Home. We know that organizing a race can help raise funds but we have limited resources to mobilize people for such an event. Through Globe Run4Home, we were able to raise funds for our initiatives that will definitely yield positive impact to our natural resources. More importantly, we were able to generate increased awareness about our existence and our advocacy, as well as the value of environmental protection to a greater number of people.”
Forests also provide ecological services that sustain lives like water, generalmedicines, clean air and food. All of these are products of an ecological cycle that takes place in forests, thus the importance of maintaining and sustaining our natural resources.
