MPIC Foundation steps up blue carbon projects

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), is further stepping up its blue carbon projects to help mitigate climate change.

Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured and stored by the coastal and marine ecosystems, specifically mangroves and seagrasses (also called carbon sinks).

MPIF is creating more blue carbon to help mitigate climate change through its flagship program Shore It Up! (SIU), which is celebrating its 15th year, MPIF president Melody del Rosario said last week.

SIU is a program created for coastal communities with a purpose of raising environmental awareness, providing livelihood assistance, protecting and propagating mangroves, and conserving the country’s marine resources.

“This celebration of our 15th year is indeed the start to join the blue revolution, not only to showcase the progress and accomplishments of Shore It Up!, but driven by a passionate commitment to environmental advocacy, collaborate and plan for more policies, explore nature-based solutions and with the help of everyone in this room charter the next five years of SIU to provide livelihood, create more blue carbon and help mitigate climate change,” she said.

Currently, SIU’s blue carbon projects is about five hectares.

“We don’t have targets, but since we’ve determined that we have blue carbons through our work in mangroves, sea grass, we are already increasing our coverage. We are doing this with the support of our three Ramsar sites,” Del Rosario said.

SIU is supporting Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance: the Las Piñas – Parañaque Wetland Park in Manila Bay, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Cagayancillo, Palawan, and the Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve in Siargao Island.

Companies led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan are throwing their full support for this program, MPIC chief finance officer June Cheryl Cabal-Revilla said.

“This is really our push, to protect the environment for climate action.  We wanted to do reforestation, mangrove preservation which is Shore it Up!, marine protection with the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute (UPMSI), and several wetlands conservation,” she said.

Cabal-Revilla said the MVP companies are ready to further deepen investments to fight climate change.

“When we run our business, we want us to last…the only way to do that is to futureproof ourselves and be resilient. Part of resilience and future proofing is taking care of the environment. Environment is the stronghold of everything,” she said.

Shore It Up was launched in 2009 following the devastation of Tropical Storm Ondoy. Metro Pacific Investment Foundation and volunteer divers from the MVP Group of Companies spearheaded the program.