Taking a big leap for green initiatives, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is set to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Aeta community in Barangay Sapangbato here to adopt a two-hectare land for reforestation.
Another signatory on the MOA is the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI), the implementer of the Angeles Watershed Reforestation Program (AWRP). AWRP is a joint advocacy program of ARAW-ACI and the Angeles City local government headed by Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr.
The MOA signing is scheduled on November 5, Friday. There will be a tree planting activity for 500 seedlings in the morning to mark the partnership to be participated in by around 150 advocates from Converge, ARAW-ACI and the members of the Kapatirang Aetas ng Angeles-Porac para sa Kalikasan at Agrikultura (KAAPKA).
Dennis Anthony Uy, CEO and co-founder of Converge, will lead the Converge team on November 5. He will be joined by the company’s president and co-founder Grace Y. Uy, Chief Strategy Officer Benjamin Azada and their Chief Operations Officer Jesus “Boboy” Romero.
“Angeles City as well as the whole of Pampanga is home to Converge. We take it as our duty to make it a livable and sustainable city for the benefit of its residents and businesses. Preservation of the Abacan river and the Angeles watershed is crucial to maintain the water reserves of the city for the present and future generations,” said Dennis Anthony Uy, Converge CEO and Founder
As for the ARAW-ACI, Renato S. Tayag Jr., the group president, will lead their board of directors and for the Aeta community, KAAPKA President Fred A. Pan will sign the MOA.
Under the AWRP, ARAW-ACI implements the Adopt-a-Watershed Program — a three-year reforestation program designed for large groups and big companies that are willing to maintain and support a certain area of land inside the 560-hectare Angeles watershed. The purpose of the program is to ensure the survival of the plants within a three-year growth period until they can live on their own in the forest.
“We thank CONVERGE for taking this journey with us. They will surely serve as an inspiration to other companies that are willing to share their resources for reforestation and for ensuring the sustainability of our water supply in the Metro Clark area,” Tayag said.
Tayag added that under the MOA with Converge, ARAW-ACI is tasked as the “project implementer” while CONVERGE is the “project sponsor” and KAAPKA is the “project steward”.
ARAW-ACI and the Angeles LGU, through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), have already planted about 15,000 seedlings of forest trees, fruit-bearing trees and bamboos at the Angeles watershed from 2019 to present. There are 40,000 seedlings ready at the site that are scheduled for planting until December 2021. Prior to 2019, Tayag and other private sector advocates have been consistently planting at the site for more than a decade.
Green Initiatives
“We are proud to be in strong partnership with ARAW-ACI, and the local community of Aetas in this reforestation and water conservation initiative. With this, we will not only preserve the natural resources of Angeles, but support the livelihood of the land stewards who will be nurturing our 2-hectare segment of the watershed,” said Benjamin B. Azada, Converge’s Chief Strategy Officer.
As a publicly-listed and steadily growing company, Converge has made steps towards greening its operations.
Just this October, it made the switch to 100% renewable energy to power its Manila headquarters, in Pasig. Converge is contracted to purchase up to 2.5MW of clean, geothermal energy to electrify its data center and offices up to 2023.
To guide its overall sustainability agenda, Converge has recently affirmed its Sustainability Commitment that stands on four key pillars – Delighting Customers by Taking Care of Our Own, Operating a sustainable company and leading it with integrity and good governance, Giving back to the planet, and Creating positive community impact.
