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Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment, and Enterprise (FPE3): Partnering with the People for the Forest

Posted on December 6, 2019

Volunteers from Manila Water planted 2,500 native tree seedlings in Sitio San Ysiro, Brgy. San Jose, Antipolo, in August 2019. (Photo credit: FPE³)
 

Forests are known to absorb large quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the process of carbon sequestration. In this time and age wherein the impacts of climate-induced hazards are being felt, restoring forests is considered one of the vital keys in reversing emissions that drive global warming. 

In the country, Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment and Enterprise or FPE3 continues to be true to its mission of helping communities sustain its effort for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.  One way to do this is through forest restoration and rehabilitation. FPE3 has launched the Partners for Forest Project in 2018 in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL). This reforestation project is intended to eventually provide stable soils, clean water, food supplies, as well as enhance community and ecosystem resilience against the effects of climate change. 

Mr. Ronald B. Neri (right), President of Calawis Punlaan Bayan, Inc. (CPBI), and Mr. Emilson Macalinao (left), Ambassador of Citizen of the World Philippines Foundation, Inc., during the tree planting activity by the volunteers from Teleperformance Philippines in August 2019. (Photo credit: FPE3)

From its humble beginnings in 2004 as a group providing outdoor enrichment programs and student eco-tours, its partnership with Manila Water in 2010 on forest restoration enabled FPE3 to train and build the capability of twelve People’s Organizations (POs) in UMRBPL. Unfortunately, FPE3 experienced a slowdown of its operations in 2015.

 

FPE3 Board members in Calawis, Punlaan to renew FPE3’s commitment to support the conservation initiatives of Calawis Punlaan Bayan, Inc. (CBPI), in November 2018. (Photo credit: FPE3)

With the reactivation of FPE3 in 2016, 2018 turned out to be a productive year having planted more than 2,300 native trees covering 3.75 hectares of forest land via the Partners for Forest Project. To achieve this, FPE3 reestablished its partnership with the Calawis Punlaan Bayan Inc (CPBI), a People’s Organization in Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo City, and other POs in the area. The Partners for Forest Project raised about Php 543,000 from different organizations such as Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Catholic Women’s League, CIGNAL TV, Air Material Wing Savings and Loan Associations (AMSWLAI), Volunteers from Save the Planet, and the Multiple Intelligence International School of Quezon City. Utilizing “rainforestation” as a strategy where indigenous species are prioritized for seedlings provided by the POs, the tree-planting activities included the monitoring and maintenance of the plantings sites by the POs themselves.

 

Volunteers from Catholic Women’s League (CWL) of the Philippines with the CBPI community guides and safety officers during the tree planting activity in September 2018. (Photo credit: FPE3)

Support to wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection are also addressed by the forest restoration activities through partnerships with the private sector. Big Bag Wolf, a social enterprise, has committed to support the Partners for Forest Project by giving portion of the proceeds from the bags and products sold online to support the Project activities. (https://bigbagwolfph.com/).

Looking into the future, FPE3 plans to launch a variety of projects such as the Rainforestation Learning Center and Rainforestation Tourism Project, activity book for kids entitled Young-Eco Lovers book, and the FPE3 eco-store that will showcase biodiversity-friendly enterprises from the partner communities.

For more stories, click here to access the FPE 2019 Annual Report