From major to minor industrial and household repairs, Filipino-owned adhesives company Republic Chemical Industries, Inc. takes its commitment to provide adhesive solutions up a notch as it helps in preserving and conserving the environment.
RCI and its affiliates Pioneer Adhesives Foundation Inc., and Pioneer Foundation Inc. go beyond adhering in their recently held three-day program “Our Earth, Our Responsibility” for sustainable efforts in Puerto Princesa City.
“It really all starts with the passion for helping the people and the environment,” shared RCI President John Spakowski.
Best of boat worlds
Everyone was giddy and cheered their respective teams for the kickoff of the first ever Pioneer National Bangkarera competition held at City Baywalk.
RCI and PAFI organized a two-day event joined by 100 teams from Boracay, Cebu, Negros and Iloilo among others to give back to the thousands of fishermen who continue to use their product to earn a living.
“More than half a million boats in the Philippines were built using Pioneer Epoxy and other allied products. This is the closest sport to our product,” shared RCI Group Product Manager Alben Manuel.
From 100 teams, they were trimmed down to six teams per category “• paddleboat, 7 horsepower and 16 horsepower. Boat owners Adelo Antipuesto from Palawan bagged the championship, Roselio Amador, also from Palawan, won the title for 7 HP, and Nathan Sualo from Boracay was hailed the victor for 16 HP.
“Tiyaga lang para manalo (It just takes perseverance to win,” Ryan Esiderio, boat racer of Team Boracay 16 HP, said.
“A lot, lot better than expected,” exclaimed Manuel, sharing how the number of participants turned out double than the expected and how it was the best problem to solve.
RCI is planning to conduct the event yearly, with more leeway in choosing their location in April next year.
Mangrove planting and reef-furbishing
Pioneer Foundations Inc.’s “Our Earth, Our Responsibility” campaign jumpstarted in barangays San Jose, Lupang Pangako and Bancao-Bancao for the Mangrove Planting and the Coral Reef Fix projects, respectively.
Both projects are meant to help and educate the communities, as well as develop a sense of environmental sensitivity. The call to act and save the environment is very strong according to Martina Spakowski, executive director of Pioneer Group Foundation, Inc.
Mangrove planting set the day in motion with hundreds of seedlings planted by the whole community. “That’s something that gives a lot of satisfaction. We just have to spread the word to move people,” said Spakowski.
Mangroves do not only serve as an indicator for a good ecosystem but it also supports the area for fish and invertebrates since it acts as a valuable nursery. It is also a place where threatened and endangered species go and find protection. They also protect the shoreline from erosion. “Once the environment is harmed, it’s not something you can make in a factory,” shared Spakowski.
PGFI, together with Department of Science and Technology, is on its way to help restore the recently bleached Tangdol Reef. “Tangdol was very alive three months ago, but now it’s dead,” lamented Jess Bream of Palawan Council for Sustainable Development.
El Niño caused the coral bleaching in Tangdol Reef. It is a phenomenon where the water surface gets warmer, and for corals, that is unbearable if exposed for a long time. It only takes one to two percent increase in temperature for bacteria to thrive in the coral and cause its death.
Following this recent incident, the City Agriculture Office, along with DOST, aims to rehabilitate the degraded area and eventually enhance fishermen’s resources and provide alternative livelihood through ecotourism.
Spakowski shared how the foundation’s partnership with DOST should be a 95 percent success. Pioneer Adhesives would provide DOST adhesives for the actual labor while the latter would give them the knowledge and technology on how their products could complement the environment.
Pioneer and DOST will be working on a six-month plan that includes reef awareness talk. After a few months, with the help of experts, they will check and monitor the sea to find out if it’s conducive as breeding area for transplanted coral fragments. If it is, they will transport corals from other parts of the province to Brgy. Bancao-Bancao and nurse them until they’re strong enough to withstand the current reef condition.