MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In an effort to further promote World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and leading mobile wallet app GCash’s collaborative effort for the reforestation of the Ipo Watershed, Miss Earth 2017 and WWF-PH Advocate Karen Ibasco and WWF-Philippines Forests for Water Project Manager Paolo Pagaduan headlined the latest #GCashTalksLive webisode last July 24, 2020.
Hosted by Dana Sianghio and Ted Lee of GCash, the show encouraged viewers to utilize the mobile app’s “green” feature called GCash Forest, which lets subscribers plant virtual trees that will have real-life counterparts.
Aside from discussing information about the tree species available for planting in the app, Pagaduan also explained how WWF-PH and GCash administer assisted natural regeneration and enrichment planting to restore the forest surrounding Ipo Watershed.
“When we say we plant trees, we actually don’t just plant trees. Tree planting is just 10% (of the work); 90% of it is actually nurturing or growing or making sure the trees grow taller and provide the benefits for us. Some call it tree nurturing, tree growing, or tree mothering — but the point is it’s not a one-day event that you go to a site, take pictures, and that’s it. It takes more effort to make sure that trees grow. It takes a lot of reinforcement, maintenance, and monitoring,” says Pagaduan.
Meanwhile, Ibasco shared her environmental conservation journey and how she utilized her platform as a beauty queen to campaign for environmental preservation by working alongside the government, the United Nations, and WWF-PH. She also encouraged viewers to use GCash as a way to reduce their carbon footprint and help Mother Nature.
“I have been part of the Panda Family for quite some time now, and one of the many things that we, in the organization, have always wanted to do is to raise awareness on issues around water and forests and how we can contribute towards long-term water security. That being said, I encourage everyone to help us #ChangeTheEnding by downloading GCash, reducing your carbon footprint by utilizing the various digital services made available through the app instead of heading out, and planting trees using GCash Forest! Even amidst these uncertain times, one thing is certain: that Mother Nature still needs help, and GCash Forest is one of the most convenient ways to plant a tree!” Ibasco quipped.
The team wrapped up the session with an open forum where they answered viewers’ questions on the app’s GCash Forest feature and gave tips on how they can generate more green energy to plant their virtual trees. Sianghio also teased that Green Heroes and new users alike are in for a treat in the coming months, with new species to be added to the tree planting roster and the crowd-favorite Dungon Tree making a comeback in the app.
WWF-Philippines is set to launch more online campaigns and programs with corporate partners in the months to come, which will be announced on WWF-Philippines’ official social media pages. #ChangeTheEnding for the environment.
