Fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions has adopted two hectares of the Angeles watershed in Pampanga in its commitment to its “sustainability agenda”.
The project is part of Converge’s three-year partnership with the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council Inc. (ARAW-ACI) and the Kapatirang Aetas ng Angeles-Porac para sa Kalikasan at Agrikultura (KAAPKA).
In a company-wide activity marking the start of the partnership held on Nov. 5, over 70 Converge employees planted 500 seedlings – fruit-bearing and forest trees – in its designated two hectares.
The partnership with Converge is part of the Adopt-A-Watershed program which involves the planting of at least 2,000 trees and falls under the broader Angeles Watershed Rehabilitation Program of ARAW-ACI.
The program to rehabilitate and nourish the 500-hectare Angeles Watershed aims to improve its forest health for better rainfall collection. The endeavor is expected to ensure the reliable supply of clean water in Pampanga while providing livelihood to the Aeta community which serves as stewards of the trees planted in the watershed.
“We hope that with our commitment to rehabilitate the Angeles Watershed, we will be helping Angeles City and Pampanga province as a whole become a sustainable place for business and communities to thrive for many generations to come,” said Converge chief executive and cofounder Dennis Anthony Uy during the partnership signing ceremony.
Under the partnership, Converge will be supplying the seedlings, ensuring a sustainable water supply and fertilizer, and funding the overall costs of care-taking and protection for the three-year period.
KAAPKA, as the stewards, will look after the day-to-day upkeep of the two-hectare land. ARAW-ACI will oversee implementation of the project and be the main coordinator with the land owner – the Bases Conversion Development Authority – and the Angeles City local government.
In addition to conserving the water supply of the city and providing livelihood to the community, reforestation is also cited as an effective way to reduce emissions from the atmosphere.
“We realized we need to manage our impact on the environment and make sure we give back to communities we work with, to the environment, and to broader society. This led us to make our Sustainability Commitment,” said Benjamin B. Azada, Converge chief strategy officer.