International environmental organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines has reported the completion of the reforestation of 75 hectares of the "damaged" portions of Ipo Watershed in Bulacan last month.

WWF-Philippines, in partnership with GCash, opted to push through with the reforestation work, citing the importance of continuing with the conservation of the watershed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

They also noted the recent water shortages caused by siltation in Ipo Dam that further stressed the need to protect and rehabilitate the crucial, but damaged, watershed.

"The pandemic has shown how taking care of nature is actually about taking care of ourselves, and others on this planet. The rest of the world may have stopped, but those who take care of our environment did not," WWF-Philippines project manager Paolo Pagaduan said.

The Forests for Water program, which Pagaduan oversees, has sought the rehabilitation of Ipo Watershed since 2016. 

With their partners, WWF-Philippines works to secure the natural integrity of the watershed.

As WWF-Philippines and GCash recognized the severity of the pandemic, they made sure that the health of volunteers and the communities of Ipo Watershed were protected during the conservation work.

The staff in charge of the reforestation work have since stayed within the watershed since the start of the pandemic to reduce chances of the disease reaching the local communities.

The seedlings used for reforestation were also sourced from a nursery within the Ipo Watershed. The nursery, which was established at the end of 2019, supplies seedlings from native trees already located within the watershed.

"We’re aware of the risks brought about by the pandemic, but our conservation work in Ipo Watershed is of utmost importance. With the locals of Ipo Watershed, we found newer, safer ways to keep on rehabilitating the watershed throughout the year," Pagaduan said.

GCash has supported the reforestation and rehabilitation of Ipo Watershed since 2018. Through GCash Forest, GCash aims to plant 365,000 seedlings across the country, 120,000 of which have been committed to Ipo Watershed.

"Responding to the threats of climate change calls for innovative solutions and more collaborations between the public and private sectors. GCash Forest is a true testament to this collaboration and is promising in its utilization of technology to help restore our forests, increase awareness on our tree species, and secure our country’s natural resources for future generations," GCash head of Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility Mabel Niala said.

WWF-Philippines and GCash expressed their commitment to protect the country's ecosystems to allow Filipinos to prepare for the current climate crisis.