ABOITIZ Foundation and GCash have partnered to restore 1,200 hectares of degraded land and plant 1 million trees in Cebu over the next five years as part of their climate and biodiversity programs.
The CarbonPH x GForest Project, which will be implemented in Balamban, Cebu, consists of ecosystem restoration with biodiversity protection and livelihood opportunities for local communities.
The partnership combines Aboitiz Foundation’s CarbonPH nature-based climate program with GCash’s GForest platform, which allows users to convert green energy points earned through activities on the GCash app into support for tree-planting projects.
The project will cover agroforestry, planting of indigenous and native trees, and mangrove rehabilitation based on the environmental and community needs of identified areas.
Local communities will participate in planting, maintenance and long-term protection of restored areas, while agroforestry activities are expected to provide additional livelihood opportunities.
Michelle Fernandez, head of corporate sustainability and communications at Mynt which operates GCash, said the project would use technology to translate everyday digital activities into environmental action.
“Technology becomes a bridge between everyday behavior, collective action and long-term environmental stewardship,” Fernandez said in a joint statement Thursday.
For Aboitiz Foundation, the Balamban project forms part of CarbonPH, a 40-year program covering reforestation, watershed management, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration in Cebu.
Aboitiz Foundation president Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar said the partnership combines private-sector resources, technology, and community participation to advance the long-term restoration program.
The foundation aims to cover 40,000 to 71,000 hectares, primarily within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape and surrounding areas.
For GCash, the additional 1 million trees will contribute to its target of planting 10 million trees by 2030. The company said GForest initiatives have so far resulted in planting 4.9 million trees.
Mangrove rehabilitation is also expected to strengthen coastal ecosystems and natural protection against climate-related hazards, while indigenous and native tree planting will support forest restoration and biodiversity.