Aboitiz to plant 70% of 3M trees

The Aboitiz Group is eyeing to hit 70 percent of its target — 3-million trees to be planted before 2015.

Team members of the Aboitiz Group will troop to 14 different sites nationwide to plant 50,000 seedlings during its annual simultaneous tree planting today, July 21.

Trees help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that is largely blamed for the climate change phenomenon that is affecting the planet.

The 50,000 trees that will be planted are expected to sequester some 1,135 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

For four consecutive years, the group has been gathering its volunteers all over the country to plant trees in one day.

The simultaneous tree planting is part of the Aboitiz Group’s solution to climate change by planting 3 million trees by 2015.

“We believe that all that we do add up to a bigger global advocacy, and that we are part of a larger community uniting to safeguard the well-being of Mother Earth. Our commitment to enriching our planet remains steadfast. It is a commitment powered by our passion for a better world,” said Aboitiz Equity Ventures president and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz, who will participate in the Cebu leg of the activity.

A total of 22 business units all over the Philippines will join the nationwide initiative, APARK (Aboitiz Passion for Agroforest and Reforest to Keep).

These are the Pilmico Foods Corp., Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corp., Union Bank of the Philippines, City Savings Bank, Davao Light and Power Company, Cotabato Light and Power Company, Visayan Electric Company, Mactan EnerZone Corp., Balamban EnerZone Corp., Subic EnerZone Corp., Aboitiz Land Inc., Cebu Industrial Park Developers Inc., Metaphil International, Therma Mobile Inc., Therma Marine Inc., Therma South Inc., Aboitiz Jebsen, SN AboitizPower, Hedcor Inc., AP Renewables Inc., Abojeb and Aboitiz Foundation Inc.

The Philippines is one of 18 mega-biodiversity countries in the world. The Philippines also ranks highest for vulnerability to tropical cyclones.

These are the factors that drive the Aboitiz Group to seriously continue to build on its inventory of trees planted.

More trees mean higher potential for carbon sequestration.