Davao Light and Power Company

In its efforts to spread #PositiveEnergy in helping care for the environment, Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. (Davao Light) with the Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI) officially turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI the communication equipment for the use of their forest rangers in effectively implementing its program to protect the forests of Mt. Apo Natural Park and Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, which are two protected ecological sites in the Philippines.

 

This project started off last August 3, 2021, after a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between DENR XI, Davao Light, and AFI. This is Davao Light's support to the forest protection program of DENR, particularly for Mt. Apo, the highest mountain and one of the most popular nature-based tourism sites in the country, and Mt. Hamiguitan, a mountain located in the province of Davao Oriental and home of endemic flora and fauna species.

DENR XI Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco said that with the communication equipment, “forest patrolling will be more efficient, stewardship of our forests will be stronger and our forest rangers will be empowered. Favorable effects will ripple that will all boil down to having a healthy environment”.

Davao Light Assistant Vice-President for Engineering Engr. Enriczar T. Tia said, “We are honored and glad that we are given this opportunity to provide support for the forest rangers. Providing them with much-needed communication equipment will not only help them effectively patrol these ecological sites but also help assure their safety while at work. We have also added hard hats, uniforms, radio chest harnesses, and other materials to provide further protection and comfort.”

With this new equipment and tools, Davao Light, an AboitizPower subsidiary, hopes that the forest patrollers are now more equipped to manage and protect the forests and mountain slopes, as well as safe from hazards that come with their daily tasks.

Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge, Protected Area Superintendent of Mt. Apo Joel Pardillo said that the donated equipment will be a big help in their communications. “Right now, it is very hard to rely on cell phones as our medium of communication in the natural park since there are areas that do not have signal and because of that, we can hardly communicate with each other especially if we are on the peak of the mountain… Communication is very vital and so with this donated equipment, we can already communicate with each other,” said.

Tia added, “we in the Aboitiz Group, do not take the environment lightly. It is part of our Group DNA of Advancing Business and Communities, where we put value in environmental protection and preservation as part of our businesses. We strongly believe that a job is only half done if the environment is not considered.”