AMIDST the prevailing environmental challenges and the imminent threat of climate change, the global landscape is witnessing a concerning depletion of its natural beauty and essential resources.
Particularly, the Philippines has experienced a gradual reduction in forest cover, from 70 percent in 1900 to 24.2 percent in 2021, attributable to factors such as illegal logging, agricultural practices, and infrastructure development.
At the forefront of addressing this environmental crisis stands the Energy Development Corporation (EDC), a pioneering force in the renewable energy sector.
EDC’s BINHI program, initiated in 2008, represents a significant commitment to the conservation and propagation of native tree species in the Philippines.
As the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal energy producer, EDC acknowledges the pivotal role trees play in both sustainable energy production and climate change mitigation.
Under the BINHI program, EDC has successfully planted more than 6.8 million trees, reclaiming over 10,140 hectares of degraded forests. Notably, the program has propagated 145 threatened native tree species, showcasing a dedication to biodiversity conservation.
A lot goes through in the process of planting trees for BINHI: from identifying endangered and threatened native tree species, propagating the specimens, to distributing the seedlings for planting in their natural habitat or other identified sites.
EDC actively collaborates with local communities, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies to establish BINHI arboreta, serving as dynamic centers for education and research.
In commemoration of its 15th anniversary, EDC, in partnership with the Nayong Pilipino Foundation, inaugurated a new BINHI arboretum. This sanctuary showcases 50 premium Philippine native tree species within a Miyawaki cluster, simulating a natural forest environment.
In a Memorandum of Agreement Signing event between the EDC and Nayong Pilipino, former Corporate Support Functions Vice President Regina Victoria J. Pascual emphasized the importance of collaboration between EDC and its partners.
“Protecting the environment has always been one of our top priorities at EDC,” Pascual said. “As a leading producer of geothermal energy that manages over 266,000 hectares of watershed areas in the country, EDC is in the challenging but privileged position to make a positive impact on the conservation and protection of our Philippine biodiversity, leaving a strong legacy for future generations of Filipinos to come.”
“But of course, that is not something that EDC BINHI can do alone,” she continued. “It is through collective action, community involvement, and strong partnerships with organizations such as yours that our efforts to mainstream and bring back to abundance Philippine threatened tree species are sustained.”
As they forge more and more partnerships, EDC aims to increase the number of transformed outdoor spaces into green habitats for the country’s endangered tree species.
BINHI’s primary goal is to not only protect and cultivate the Philippines’ most endangered native trees, but to also raise awareness about the diverse array of species there is in the country.
Beyond conservation, BINHI extends its impact by engaging in strategic partnerships, such as with the Baslay Highland Agriculture Cooperative (BASHACO). This collaboration empowers farmers to transition from environmentally detrimental practices to regenerative ones, fostering both ecological benefits and economic opportunities, notably in sustainable coffee farming.
During the 40th anniversary celebration of EDC’s Palinpinon-1 Geothermal Power Plant, BASHACO Chairperson Ruel Perez shared his firsthand experience in witnessing the dangerous farming methods in their land.
“I was just five years old when my father started bringing me to the farm areas where they would practice very destructive ways of farming,” Perez said. “It took EDC five years to finally convince us to vacate our forests and learn from them to address the problem of deforestation. From then, we were able to reforest more than 200 hectares of man-made forests. And because of our man-made forests, we now have Baslay Coffee”.
Perez also mentioned that their cooperative recently turned 39 years old in December, thanking EDC for being there for them since day one. “I am not connected with any government agency [or] private institution, but I am proud to say that I am always connected with my people, my community, and of course, the many fruits of BINHI that EDC has granted in my community, Baslay.”
BINHI underscores EDC’s enduring commitment to sustainable practices and meaningful stakeholder relations. Through collaborative efforts, it has emerged as one of the most substantial private-led forest restoration programs in the country. This initiative significantly contributes to EDC’s overarching mission of ushering in a decarbonized and regenerative energy future for the Filipino people.
EDC, a 100 percent renewable energy subsidiary of First Gen Corp., commands over 1,480MW in total installed capacity, constituting 20 percent of the nation’s total installed renewable energy capacity.
Notably, its geothermal portfolio represents 62 percent of the country’s total geothermal capacity, positioning EDC as the third-largest geothermal producer globally.
Within the country, First Gen stands as the foremost clean energy company, driving the paradigm shift towards sustainable energy solutions.
