MANILA — As part of its efforts to help reforest vital watersheds and prevent calamities like land erosion and flooding, water distributor Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) recently kicked off its “Plant for Life” tree-planting program for 2018.
For this year, Maynilad has committed to plant 100,000 tree saplings and mangrove propagules over a land area of about 47 hectares.
Since the program’s inception in 2007, Maynilad has planted more than 630,000 trees and mangroves at the Ipo Dam, Laguna Lake, and Malabon watersheds, as well as along coastal areas of Manila Bay.
These initiatives are also being done in support of the “Annual Million Trees Challenge” of the state-owned Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), which aims to plant one million trees yearly for five years to protect six critical watersheds.
“One of the best steps we can take to protect our water sources is to plant trees on denuded lands. Trees help with the soil’s water retention, thus preventing the soil erosion that causes high turbidity levels in our raw water supply,” Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said in a statement on Wednesday.
Maynilad’s “Plant for Life” is being held in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the local government of Norzagaray, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
Volunteers are welcome to join Maynilad’s series of tree-planting activities, which is held every year between the months of June and November.
Interested parties may call the company’s Environmental Management Department at 981-3484 to inquire about the schedule and requirements.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the agent and contractor of the MWSS for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon in Metro Manila; and the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, in Cavite province. (PR/PNA)
