Vivant Employees and Families Plant 5,000 Trees in Cebu

Six-year-old Kierra Amber Bondoc would have spent her Saturday practicing for her school’s intramurals. But she decided instead to join her mother, Peachie Bondoc in Vivant Group’s annual tree planting activity.

This is the second time Kierra joined her mother plant native tree seedlings in barangay Bonbon, Cebu City. “She insisted on joining because she wanted to plant trees that will prevent flooding in the lowlands,” said her mother who works as an Executive Assistant at Vivant.

They were part of a hundred employee-volunteers from Vivant Corporation who planted 5,000 native and fruit-bearing tree seedlings recently, in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), at Barangay Bonbon, Cebu City.

The reforestation site is located within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), which is being rehabilitated because of its importance to the water supply in Metro Cebu and the biodiversity it supports.

GIVING BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT

“Our tree planting is one of the ways we can give back to the environment while ensuring the sustainability of our business,” Vivant Corporation Executive Vice President Arlo Sarmiento said.

“Environmental protection is not just the company’s responsibility, but of every one of us. Being a forward-looking company, Vivant needs to fulfill this duty to ensure our future and those of our children,” he added.

Vivant Corporation employees were encouraged to bring their family and friends to help plant trees. Real estate firm JEG Development Corporation also joined the activity.

“Weekends are always for the family and Vivant’s annual tree planting allows us to do something worthwhile with our loved ones. In our family, we consider tree planting as a way to make up for what the rest of the humanity has done to our planet,” said Debbie Artiaga, Vivant Corporation Senior Manager for Treasury.

CONTINUING ADVOCACY

Vivant Corporation, a member company of PBSP, has been planting trees in CCPL since 2009. Its planting site is being maintained by Bonbon Nagkahiusa Farmers Association.

The dwindling water supply in Metro Cebu, coupled by poverty in the communities within CCPL, compelled PBSP and its member companies and partners to continue the rehabilitation of CCPL and reforestation of its forest cover to approximately 5,000 hectares.

Over the last few years, PBSP’s partnership with the business sector yielded 800 hectares of reforestation sites with at least 80% survival rate. Aside from reforestation, PBSP also engages the communities in the maintenance of nurseries and sites, community development planning and delivery of livelihood and social services.