More than 3,000 volunteers gathered in Balamban, Cebu on September 19 to launch the five-year CarbonPH and GCash GForest partnership, targeting one million trees and 1,200 hectares restored over the period. Marking World Bamboo Day and International Coastal Cleanup Day, the event paired tree and bamboo planting with parallel coastal cleanup led by the local government to extend action from uplands to coasts.
Aboitiz Foundation President Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar noted the work is not a one-day activity but a sustained community-led drive to restore forests, secure water sources, and build lasting livelihoods. The initiative forms part of CarbonPH’s 40-year commitment to restore some 71,000 hectares across Cebu, guided by DENR-FMB standards and aligned with national climate goals under the Paris Agreement and the Philippines’ NDC. Supported by the Municipality of Balamban and Cebu Bamboo Industry Development Council, it links GCash user green points to real on-ground planting; GCash GForest has enabled 4.9 million trees to date, with this project advancing its 10-million-tree target by 2030.
The program uses a ridge-to-reef approach planting native species such as Kaningag, Narra, and Molave alongside bamboo, fruit, and agroforestry crops, plus mangroves along coasts. Planting along river corridors will stabilize banks, cut erosion, and boost flood resilience. Sustained maintenance and community stewardship will aim for at least 85 percent tree survival. Balamban is the first step; the partnership will expand across more communities to build healthier landscapes and stronger climate resilience across Cebu.
