To help solve concerns of water security, deforestation, and biodiversity, Globe has given mobile phones to forest rangers in Palawan, Negros Occidental, and Sarangani under its Clean Water Project partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The mobile phones will be used to gather location-based information about the state of the forests, wildlife, and dangers in their specific conservation areas, including pictures and sound recordings.
The move is part of Globe’s climate action strategy and commitment to implementing nature-based solutions, as it supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 13, which underscores the importance of climate action to save lives and livelihoods to address climate emergencies.
Globe also undertakes initiatives in support of UN SDG No. 15, which promotes the sustainable use and conservation of terrestrial ecosystems, including forests and their biodiversity, and UN SDG No. 17, which espouses stronger partnerships for sustainable development. Globe is committed to upholding the UN Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.
The USAID Safe Water Project is working with local government units (LGUs) to form patrol groups and adopt the Lawin System.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources introduced Lawin in 2016, which makes use of technology for data administration, planning, patrolling, and threat detection in conservation areas. Patrols at the project locations are conducted using mobile phones.
A Handover Ceremony for the Globe-donated gadgets was held in Palawan on December 6, 2022, attended by representatives from eight LGUs in the province, including Aborlan town Mayor Jaime Ortega of Aborlan and Narra town Mayor Gerandy Danao. A similar ceremony was held in Bacolod City in November, with Sarangani next.
Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto said,
“Globe is pleased to support the USAID Safe Water Project and the local government units in their efforts to protect and conserve our forests and biodiversity. We believe that technology, along with nature-based solutions, can be a powerful tool for conservation.
We are committed to using our resources and expertise to help address some of the biggest challenges facing our planet today.”
The USAID Safe Water Project aims to address deforestation along with other issues affecting water security in Negros Occidental, Palawan, and Sarangani.
Forester Felizardo Cayatoc, DENR Palawan’s Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer said,
“With our partnership with Globe, we will now have more equipped Lawin forest patrollers from local governments who share the responsibility with the national government in protecting our natural resources.”
Together with wood poaching, the expansion of agricultural land, infrastructural development, natural disasters, and the effects of climate change, deforestation in the nation’s watersheds continues to be a problem.
The upkeep of water quality, the amount of available water, and the flow of surface water and groundwater are all adversely impacted by this.
