What better to invest in than a green future?

Since March 2011, Banco de Oro Unibank (BDO) has been supporting the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) for a series of environmental education and conservation programs.

For the past 11 months, BDO has aided WWF by allowing BDO ATM debit card holders to donate PHP5 to a host of field programmes. Funds generated from ATM donations have allowed WWF to craft a brand new environmental education drive for 2000 grade school students.

“WWF’s education drives have always focused on either climate change solutions or biodiversity conservation,” says WWF-Philippines Environmental Education Head Obel Resurreccion. “Finally, we’re directly linking these two subjects. How does global warming affect the migration patterns of Donsol’s whale sharks? How will the loss of a forest in Isabela contribute to global climate change? How will all this affect our own lives and livelihoods? These are some of the questions we plan to raise and answer with our new programme, entitled Seeds for the Future.”

As part of the drive, WWF and BDO representatives taught over 300 elementary students the merits of conserving whale sharks and other endangered Philippine species last 21 February at the Donsol East Central Elementary School. Mangrove planting drives and stakeholder consultations have been previously conducted, capped off by the unveiling of a new whale shark exhibit at the Donsol visitor center.

WWF and BDO’s partnership has four components - a whale shark ecotourism management program for Donsol in Sorsogon, an agroforestry program for the Abuan watershed in Isabela, a sustainable fisheries program for Quezon in Palawan and a nationwide environmental education drive for elementary students.

"We are happy to provide a convenient channel for our cardholders to participate in WWF-Philippines’ environmental projects throughout the country,” says BDO Senior Assistant Vice-President Juvencio Pereche. “We were overwhelmed by the response to this transactional ATM donation program, which sees over 2000 BDO cardholders donating daily. This proves that Filipinos are really conscious of the environment and would like to take part in conservation programs."

Next up is an agroforestry project in Isabela plus a livelihood project to ensure a sustainable supply of seafood in Palawan. Seeds for the Future shall continue inculcating keen young minds until March 2012.

WWF enjoins all BDO cardholders to make a PHP5 donation when making transactions. Concludes Resurreccion, “PHP5 is all that’s needed to mould minds and modify attitudes. As with biodiversity conservation, authentic education always aims for long-term results. As we ‘Find Ways’ to change the future, we must look to the present ... and plant the seeds of stewardship early on.”