Ty-led Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) Foundation is adopting a National Greening Program (NGP) mangrove reforestation site in the coastal municipality of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, aimed at boosting environmental stewardship among stakeholders, local livelihood, and climate mitigation.
This environmental initiative is part of a commitment to nurture 1 million trees by 2030, as earlier announced by Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) and TMP Foundation chairman Alfred V. Ty during the Foundation’s 35th anniversary celebration in July.
To mark the NGP site adoption, TMP Foundation mobilized around one hundred ten (110) volunteers from the TMP network, Mariano Marcos State University – College of Industrial Technology (MMSU-CIT), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office Bangui (DENR-CENRO Bangui), the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), and members of the local community at Barangay Davila to plant a total of 1,750 mangrove seedlings.
The activity culminated with the signing of a tripartite agreement among the municipal government of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, MMSU, and TMP Foundation.
Under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the coastal forest conservation project will be implemented over two years, with a target of planting 3,500 seedlings of native mangrove species—Lapis-lapis and Arinaya—within 2 hectares of land.
“This project seeks to empower local communities, enhance stakeholder capacities, and promote shared stewardship of these coastal forests,” said Jose Maria Aligada, President of the TMP Foundation, during the MOA signing ceremony.
Coastal Ecosystem Rehabilitation
The NGP site is a mangrove forest that has degraded over time due to human activities, leading to the loss of mangroves vital for the ecosystem and the livelihoods of the local community.
According to the DENR – CENRO Bangui, mangrove planting contributes to disaster risk reduction, strengthens coastal protection, and supports the growth of marine life, which ultimately helps sustain coastal fisheries. Mangroves also help mitigate climate change by having a high capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, contributing to carbon neutrality.
Through the initiative, TMP Foundation aims to strengthen the community’s natural defense against climate-related impacts and enhance biodiversity, while also providing an additional income source for the locals.
In the span of the project, TMP Foundation will provide monthly financial compensation to the members of a duly organized People’s Organization (PO) for mangrove monitoring and maintenance.
‘Green Wave’ Expansion
In a strengthened commitment to environmental stewardship, TMP Foundation takes the lead in expanding the impact of the All Toyota Green Wave Project outside CALABARZON, where TMP’s network has already adopted 228 hectares of NGP sites.
TMP Foundation’s mission is to contribute to TMP’s goal of planting one million trees by 2030 under the ‘Green Wave,’ not only by partnering with new external stakeholders but also mobilizing internal network members within Toyota and boosting volunteerism.
Under its flagship ‘Environment’ advocacy pillar, TMP Foundation has key initiatives on environmental education and reforestation in Los Baños, Laguna, biodiversity conservation of the Tamaraw on Mindoro Island, and aquatic ecosystem conservation.
The All Toyota Green Wave Project is a global initiative launched by Toyota Motor Corporation in 2015 to connect the Toyota network to the environment for the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of ecosystems. It is one of the projects under ‘Challenge 6: Establishing a Future Society in Harmony with Nature’ of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050.