EACH seed planted brings hope for a greener future.

For Energy Development Corporation (EDC), the tindalo tree seedling was the inspiration behind its BINHI Greening Legacy program launched 15 years ago.

It has since then taken corporate greening to a whole new level by restoring at least 10,000 hectares in its areas of operation and bringing back to abundance its 96 flagship Philippine native tree species.

To keep doing this in Negros Island, EDC constructed a state-of-the-art automated nursery called a vegetative materials reproduction (VMR) facility in its 222.5-megawatt geothermal complex in Valencia, Negros Oriental on Arbor Day five years ago.

EDC has relaunched the VMR to fortify its commitment to continue greening Negros Island not only through the 100% renewable energy that it generates 24/7 from geothermal, but also through BINHI.

“The VMR reinforces our commitment to propagating Philippine endemic tree species like EDC Negros’ flagship species, the red lauan,” said Atty. Allan Barcena, assistant vice president and head of corporate relations and communications at EDC.

To date, EDC has produced more than 1 million seedlings of native tree species through this nursery and has established propagation protocols for 67 threatened tree species.

The company now has over 200 BINHI partners from 16 regions all over the country and has pledged to keep on planting and nurturing native trees in addition to the 6.8 million seedlings that the company has planted since 2008.

More than 2.5 million of these were planted on over 3,000 hectares in Negros Island with the help of EDC’s over 30 BINHI local partners.

“We want our fellow Filipinos to be a part of our advocacy in planting and growing not just any tree here in Negros Island, but our very own premium endangered trees, so we focus on schools and public parks where children will get to know more about them,” said Norreen Bautista, head of EDC corporate relations in Negros Island.

“We are optimistic that the VMR and our scientific approach to greening through BINHI will help us fulfill this dream and our mission to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future,” she added.

(Story/Photos by:Frances Ariola)