The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have partnered with Gcash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, in the reforestation, protection and management of 300 hectares of land within the Ipo watershed in Norzagaray, Bulacan.
With such partnership, WWF president and chief executive officer Joel Palma said “this assures us of the supply of water for Metro Manila.”
“Right now, it’s the only source we’ve got, so we have to take of it,” he added.
GCash is operated by Mynt of Globe Fintech Innovations Inc.
Paolo Pagaduan, WWF project manager, said GCash will sponsor the planting of trees at the Ipo watershed, while WWF would monitor and report on the status of the trees.
Mabel Niala, Mynt’s external affairs corporate communications group head, said the company wanted to help environmentalists and the government sector to help build a better, stronger and more environmentally secure nation.
“It is not just about planting trees. You ensure that the existing seedlings are left to grow, and the degraded areas are planted with indigenous species. You take care of the whole system,” Palma said.
The Ipo Dam is part of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo watershed system that supplies 98 percent of Metro Manila’s water.