As part of its efforts to help reforest vital watersheds and prevent calamities such as land erosion and flooding, West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) recently kicked off its “Plant for Life” tree-planting activities for 2018.
For this year, Maynilad has committed to plant 100k tree saplings and mangrove propagules over a land area of approximately 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 Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, 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,” said Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez.
Maynilad’s “Plant for Life” is being held in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the local government of Norzagaray, and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
Volunteers are welcome to participate in 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 all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
PHOTO CAPTION:
A volunteer plants a Narra tree at the Ipo watershed in Bulacan during the recent kick-off of Maynilad’s annual “Plant for Life” tree-planting program. The project is part of company efforts to rehabilitate and reforest vital watersheds that supply the raw water needs of Metro Manila.