Energy Development : EDC brings BINHI to Palawan

Sealing the EDC-BINHI partnership agreement are EDC forester Ronino Gibe (left), WPU President Elsa Manarpaac  (center) and WPU Dean Lita Sopsop.

Geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) spearheaded the planting of 14 species of endangered premium native trees inside the Western Philippines University (WPU) campus in Aborlan, Palawan.

The tree-planting activity is part of EDC's BINHI: A nationwide Greening Legacy project.

BINHI is focused on reforestation and biodiversity preservation to arrest forest degradation, contribute to climate change mitigation, and provide sustainable livelihood for forest communities.

WPU President Elsa Manarpaac thanked EDC for making the university its 98th partner for the BINHI project.  "BINHI is very timely and aligned with the WPU mission to have sustainable environment projects not only in the main campus in Aborlan but also in other campuses of WPU and the entire Palawan.

The trees that can only be found in Palawan like Manggis, Palawan Narig, Narig-laot and Palawan Mangkono are ironically unfamiliar to people residing Palawan.

With the help of EDC, we are aware of the value and importance of these tree species.

As a BINHI partner, we are committed to protect and conserve the remaining premium endangered trees of Palawan."

BINHI is not an ordinary reforestation project. It is focused on bringing back high-value but fast-dwindling native trees.

EDC sources the few remaining seedlings of endangered premium native trees and grow them into mother trees in planting sites where they can be best protected and nurtured.

These sites include, but are not limited to, school grounds, public parks, leisure estates, residential areas and urban spaces as available.

These mother trees will be used to propagate more seedlings for transplant all over the country.

Launched in 2008, using EDC's three decades of experience in integrated social forestry as platform, BINHI has become a model for corporate-led reforestation programs among Philippine businesses.