Team Lucky Toe all set for Globe's Run4Home 2011

I just posted some days ago about Globe's Run4Home 2011, Haribon Foundation being one of the 4 beneficiaries of the event.

Although we were not yet informed of the official count of registrants that chose Haribon as their beneficiary, I am already thankful to those who have registered. Regardless of whether they picked Haribon as their beneficiary, be it Habitat for Humanity, Virlaine Foundation or Gawad Kalinga, all provides homes and many will benefit from this up coming run. I heard though that Haribon Foundation comes in second in the most picked organization.

And to show our support, we at Haribon will run alongside with the participants. As an employee and a family member of Haribon Foundation, Team Lucky Toe is all set to run for our home - the forest - bringing back our forest, brings forth biodiversity.

M's 5K kit

while mine and Leon's are 3K
can't wait for Maia to grow a little bigger so that she can run with us as well.

Hope anyone is free this Sunday, come join the fun! Run for Home!!!

Globe Run 2011: Haribon Foundation as Beneficiary

Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc. is one of the beneficiaries of Globe's Run for Home 2011. Together with Gawad Kalinga, Habitat for Humanity and Virlaine Foundation, registrants are required to choose among the four who will benefit from their run. Part of the registration fees goes to the chosen organization.

In behalf of Haribon Foundation, I am inviting running enthusiasts to join the run and choose us as your beneficiary. Why Haribon among the other organizations? Just like the three other organizations that provides home for the homeless and less fortunate people, Haribon Foundation's cause provides home not only to people but to biodiversity as well. Forest restoration goes beyond tree planting and carbon sequestration. Forest restoration brings back life not just to animals living and benefiting from it but also to people directly living within the forest areas and to us urban dwellers.

Aside from giving shelter, it provides, food, water, clothing and medicine. It also supports culture and tradition.

On March 27, 2011 at the Bonifacio Global City, join Globe's Run4Home, together we can make a difference, let us restore our forest, run for our Home, our Forest!

Tree Planting at the Caliraya Watershed: (Mellow Yellow Monday #7, Mommy & me Monday #3, Ruby Tuesday#6)

Just sharing with you the tree planting activity we had with my staff at Haribon Foundation. This is part of the on-going campaign of Haribon Foundation, the Adopt-a-Seedling Campaign in support of the ROAD to 2020 movement.

ROAD to 2020 (Rainforestation Organizations and Advocates) aims to restore 1 million hectares of the Philippine natural forest by planting native tree species.

The Adopt-a-Seedling campaign started sometime in the year 2007. It started simply by encouraging our members to participate and do their share in combating the effects of climate change and global warming. Through tree planting we are bringing back the natural sequesters of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide are harmful by-products of our day to day activity. The most common of which is the use of vehicles. Though we can't stop this practice, we can at least do our share of adding up as mentioned, natural sequesters of carbon dioxide, the trees. In December 2008, we offered the Adopt-A-Seedling campaign to members and patrons as Christmas gifts. Instead of materials gifts, the commitment to plant a tree and support a cause is a good alternative gift. To our surprise, a good number of members and patrons supported the cause and we were able to raise more than 2,500 seedlings, which can cover more or less a hectare of forest area.

@ the drop off point to the planting site with me are Ashley, my niece Gayle, my son Leon, my other niece Joey & my mom Lydia

actual tree planting with my son Leon and niece Gayle

On January 17, 2009 me and my staff volunteered to plant 750 seedlings at the Caliraya Watershed in Cavinti, Laguna. Together with us are our family members and close friends. After the actual tree planting activity, we had a picnic lunch at the Japanese garden, which was just a few minute ride from the site and spend an hour or so at a nearby resort.

me and my staff @ the Japanese Garden

Haribon's Adopt-a-Seedling Campaign is inviting everyone to support the cause. To know more log on to www.haribon.org.ph or visit us at our office at the 2nd Floor, Santos & Sons Bldg., 973 Aurora Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines 1109.

a boat ride from the site to pick up point

enjoying nature with my kid before heading home

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Earth Day

Today's Earth Day, let us do our share in keeping mother earth a good place to live in, not just for us but for our children and our children's children.

Mother Earth has been good to us, providing us with so many things. From the basics such us food, clothing, shelter and medicine to name a few and to the more complex - to the extent of degrading her such as logging and mining. The latter which is we shouldn't do and promote, still many already have benefited from these activities.

Simple actions such as the common waste segregation, reducing, recycling and reusing can be a good start in doing our share of saving mother earth.

Waste segregation - this can be started in our own household, segregating per se biodegradable materials from non-bio degradable materials. Further, segregating reusable materials, recyclable materials thus reducing consumption of various "hazards" to the environment. It is also advisable to clean materials before segregating so as to avoid pests in the household. We can set up properly labeled boxes or crates for the materials we are segregating.

Avoid using plastic materials. We can start by reusing shopping bags or by bringing our own shopping bags in doing our groceries and doing our shopping. There are a number of non-governmental organizations who promote the use of "katcha" bags or coco-cloth bags in their advocacy of helping our environment. Supporting them by using these bags will also support their cause in saving the environment.

Go Green! - plant trees in our backyards. If we do not have enough space in our backyard, potted plants will do. Plants in any form help the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide we emit and transforming them to oxygen. Plants also absorbs carbon emission of various appliances and vehicles. There is a computation on-line where we can compute for our household carbon emission and the corresponding number of plants/trees we need to plant to absorb the carbon we emit.

We can also join in local environmental organization who promotes planting of native trees to offset our carbon as well as help save our environment particularly saving the Philippine's Natural Forest.
These are just a few practices we can start with. With these simple acts, we can make a difference for our environment. Let us make Earth day everyday.

Million Hectare Walk 2009 (year 3)

The organizing team, lead by the Director for Organizational Sustainability met yesterday to discuss the details for this years Million Hectare Walk.



The 3rd Million Hectare Walk will be held on November 22, 2009 a Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife in Quezon City. It is a walk-for-a-cause activity initially for Haribon members but because of positive response even from non-members, the activity was open to all...members, non-members, young, old, single, couple and family.

How do we go about the activity: The activity aims to raise funds to support the ROAD to 2020 project. Each walker shall pay the registration fee, walkers are also encouraged to solicit pledges from their network for the number of walks or rounds they can make. There are 2 designated routes, one short and one long route. The walker will choose which route to take. They can either solicit a fix pledge or a per lap pledge. Example - I am a walker, and I decide to take the long route, I can also say that I can make 10 laps for the long route. Whoever wants to support me, will pledge a donation, let's say, 1,000 bucks for the 10 laps I can make. Or, they can pledge a donation of 200 per lap I can make. The more supporters I get, the more I am able to contribute to Haribon's program.

On the 1st year of the activity, my husband Lemuel joined as walker...though I can't remember how much he raised. Last year, our son Leon, registered as walker. He took the short route and was able to finish 3 laps. He was able to raise P900. A good sum for a 1 year and a half kid. He also bagged the "youngest walker award", received gift packs from Haribon and our sponsors, Coca-Cola, Smart and Aquabest.

Registrants will receive a kit for the walk, a katcha sling/shoe bag and a t-shirt with the activity design on it. For the last two years, we had additional freebees. I can't still say if we'll have the same now because we are still in the process of looking for sponsors for the event. Last year also we had some awards given to the participants, awards such as the Youngest and Oldest walkers, First to register, First family to register, Walker with the most laps made and some more...we hope we can give out the same awards this year.

On its third year now, the Million Hectare Walk is in support of Haribon's ROAD to 2020 project which aims to restore 1M hectares of denuded Philippine primary forest by year 2020. Proceeds of this activity goes to the planting of native tree species in Haribon identified sites and/or Haribon community project sites. Presently we have the Caliraya Watershed in Laguna as planting site.

Million Hectare Walk is open to all, families especially, that's why we have scheduled it on a Sunday so families can spend their time together while doing something for a cause. There will also be some activities for non walkers and guests. Haribon will likewise set up an exhibit and our merchandise booth so whether you are a walker or not, you can still make some donations in other forms during the event.

Registration will soon be announced. We encourage early registration so you'll have more time to solicit pledges before the day of the walk, though Haribon will still set up a table for walk-in registrants during the event. We are also open for sponsorships - individuals, group and companies are welcome to do so.

For further details you may check on Haribon's website: www.haribon.org.ph

Hope to see you there and support the restoration of the Philippine forest.