Go cashless, help plant trees at Ipo watershed

The Philippines is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world. It contains two-thirds of the Earth’s biodiversity and 70% of the world’s plants and animal species. 

Our country’s biodiversity provides several ecosystem services: food, water, energy sources, pharmaceuticals, biomass fuels, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation, as well as crop pollination, cultural and spiritual inspiration, and ecotourism.

“The sad thing about that is we’re losing a lot of plants and animal species because of the destruction in the ecosystem,” said Chris Manguera, Chief Marketing Officer of GCash. 

To help rebuild the Philippine forest, GCash, a mobile money service that lets you buy load, purchase items, send and receive money, pay bills, and more, launched its in-app feature called GCash Forest.

GCash Forest lets you help plant trees at the Ipo watershed in Norzagaray, Bulacan, by collecting energy points. You can do this by adopting a sustainable lifestyle. One way is by going cashless.

“Instead of going out to commute or use paper to pay your bill, you can just do it with your phone. In that way, you can save different types of carbon emission,” said Chris. 

You can also earn energy points through GCash’s partners. 

Bo’s Coffee and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf will give you energy points when you bring a reusable tumbler for your drinks and pay using GCash. You can also earn points from Puregold when you bring your own bag for your groceries.

Once you’ve collected enough energy points, you can now choose which species of tree you’d like GCash to plant at the Ipo watershed.

Sadly, Ipo watershed’s forest cover has deteriorated over the years, threatening the wildlife, biodiversity, and communities residing in the area. It’s the main reason for the recurring water crisis in Metro Manila. 

“Our goal is to plant 365,000 trees in 365 days. I know it’s a big challenge but with your help we can make it happen,” said Chris. 

For more information on how to use the GCash forest, please visit their website. – Rappler.com

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