SM Foundation, DENR and DSWD support greening

SM Foundation reiterated its commitment to the government’s National Greening Program as it signed a renewal of its partnership with Department of Environment and Natural Resouces (DENR) through a Memorandum of Agreement and forged a new partnership with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in an endeavor not only to protect the environment but to provide livelihood to communities nationwide.

The MOA, says DSWD Undersecretary Parisya H. Taradji, “puts in place a partnership that will not only protect our environment but will also benefit communities and people’s organizations. “She stressed that aside from “restoring the forest in their areas as a way of reducing threats of natural disasters, the Grow A Million Trees project will also strengthen their capacity to improve their lives as this provides a source of livelihood.”

Meanwhile, Forest Management Bureau Director Ricardo Calderon lauded SM Foundation’s Grow A Million Trees project as unlike other tree-planting activities where saplings are just planted and then left unattended, SMFI intends to nurture the saplings and propagules, hence the project name Grow A Million Trees.

Signatories to the MOA were SMFI executive director Debbie Sy, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje represented by Forest Management Bureau Director Ricardo Calderon, Social Welfare Secretary  Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, represented by Undersecretary Parisya H. Taradji, AVP SM Supermarkets Janna Servillejo, and SCMC president Annie Garcia.  Also present were Georgina Ann Hernandez, Social Welfare Director for Sustainable Livelihood Program; SMFI AVP for Outreach and Livelihood Cristie Angeles; SMFI Executive Director for Health and Medical Services Connie Angeles &  FMB’s Mayumi Quintos-Natividad.

DENR will identify and delineate a 20-hectare portion within Community-based  Forest Management areas for recommendation to SM Foundation.  Areas to be covered are in Pampanga, Batangas, Laguna, Camarines Sur, Bacolod and General Santos. DENR will also provide technical assistance in nursery operation and in the establishment, maintenance and protection of the plantation.

SMFI will allocate funds for various activities pertinent to establishment and maintenance of the plantation and will choose a people’s organization or environmental group within the area to plant and nurture the seedlings for the next three years. DSWD will conduct values formation, capacity building and social enterprise skills seminars to the chosen peoples’ organization.