Vice Mayor Alfredo Coro II has led the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Del Carmen, Surigao Del Norte (Siargao Islands) in establishing a long-term partnership with Wellife Corporation for the conservation of the municipality’s mangrove forests.
Last May 18, Ms. Lynie Espiel Bereso, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wellife Corporation, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the LGU for the company’s extension of regular support for the conservation of ten (10) hectares of the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest. The company turned over an initial cash grant amounting to P150,000 to the Siargao Islands Wildlife Conservation Foundation, the local NGO implementing partner.
Wellife Corporation, a home care products company, will also co-brand its eco-friendly product marketing campaigns with the advocacy of protecting the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest. Upon their visit in the island last May, Wellife Corporation representatives conducted a mangrove planting activity in the remaining open cover of the forest.
Vice Mayor Coro considers the partnership as a significant step forward in the implementation of the Blue Over Development Strategy that he has co-designed with Ms. Maria Meliza Tuba-Principe of Ayala Corporation, as part of their ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) project for the Bridging Leaders’ Initiative for Climate Resilience (BLICR) Fellowship Program.
Wellife Corporation representatives conduct a mangrove planting activity in the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest.
The BLICR Program is the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership’s (TEC-BL) pioneering fellowship that seeks to facilitate government and business sector collaboration in developing nature-based solutions for coastal communities. The fellowship program is funded by Earth Security UK through a grant by the German government.
“Because we have acquired a better appreciation on how the public and private sector can both benefit by connecting our shared values, our Ecosystem-based Adaptation endeavors are now better embraced by organizations we have approached,” Vice Mayor Coro said about his experience in joining the BLICR Program in an interview.
A cash grant amounting to P150,000 was turned over by Wellife Corporation to the Siargao Islands Wildlife Conservation Foundation.
The Blue Over Development Strategy seeks to expand Del Carmen’s private sector linkages for financing the conservation of its marine ecosystems. It is a part of a broader municipal plan to stimulate a COVID-19 green economic recovery to generate more green jobs for the community. By August of this year, AIM with Earth Security and their partners will be conducting on-site workshops in Del Carmen to strengthen stakeholder engagement and involvement in the implementation of the Blue Over Strategy project.