Daikin Philippines kicks off nationwide tree planting initiatives in Bukidnon

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The company came together with Barangay Sinuda to plant fruit-bearing trees for the community

Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by Daikin Philippines and was produced by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the production of this piece.

For Daikin, their motto of perfecting air isn’t just about air conditioning – it’s about the Earth’s climate, too. 

To scale its environmental commitments, Daikin Philippines has begun its nationwide expansion of tree planting projects. The company started with a tree-planting activity in Tanay, Rizal in 2024, Daikin’s centennial year. This time, they decided to travel to Barangay Sinuda in Bukidnon to plant fruit-bearing trees for the community.

MEANINGFUL WORK. Daikin Philippines employees from the Davao and Cagayan de Oro branches traveled up to four hours to contribute to the tree planting proper in Sinuda, Bukidnon

TEAMING UP. Representatives from Daikin Philippines HQ and the Mindanao division come together for the success of the tree-planting activity

The Daikin Philippines team assembled in Bukidnon to conduct the tree planting last July 5. The event was also attended by its two other stakeholders: the members of Sinuda’s Matigsalug Tribe and the local Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Offices (MENRO). The collaborative 360° approach enables the project to be impactful for its beneficiaries for years to come.

Sustainability for both environment and community

The tree cultivation effort was guided by the local authorities who knew the area’s needs best. “Masaya talaga kami na may ganitong collaboration between [a] private entity at sa government entity,” said Julie Mary Morales, MENRO designate of the municipality of Kitaotao. “Mapursigi po silang nakipag-coordinate sa amin na mapadayon itong activity na ito.” 

Morales and her team joined Daikin onsite to properly orient the group on how to plant the seedlings, providing guidance and encouragement to kick off the activities.

“Sa barangay Sinuda po, makikita natin yung mga mountain na wala na talagang mga puno ng kahoy. Alam naman natin na malaki ang role ng kahoy sa pag-absorb ng greenhouse gases,” said Morales.

One of MENRO’s key goals is the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions through reforesting mountains like those in Sinuda. By combining efforts with a shared goal, Daikin Philippines’ sustainability projects also help boost the local government’s goal. 

To spur reforestation efforts in the mountains, Morales says the local MENRO has programs incentivizing locals to participate, like monetary allowances for communities to plant seedlings. They are also planning an information education campaign reminding locals that it is illegal to cut down trees without a permit from the authorities. She looks forward to discussing possibilities to collaborate on existing programs with Daikin Philippines.

The company also collaborated with the residents through Tatu Ekil, a native Matigsalug content creator who champions community empowerment in Sinuda and neighboring barangays in Kitaotao. “We have been praying for this opportunity na magkaroon ng project ang community,” said Tatu.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. Tatu Ekil, a born-and-raised Matigsalug, became the point of contact and consultant for the community to bring the project to fruition

Daikin Philippines sourced nearly a thousand avocado and other fruit-bearing saplings for the project. The seedlings were planted on a mountain by Tatu’s home, ensuring his and the community’s constant supervision so they can nurture the trees as they grow.

Daikin also plans to provide fertilizers for the next three months to sustain the activity’s impact. “This is a beautiful way to show the people in the community that somebody is thinking of them, you know, may mga taong gustong-gustong tumulong sa kanila,” said Tatu.

Typically, tree planting activities are done with hardwood trees, but Tatu said that the communities can’t benefit from it until it grows to maturity. That’s why they recommended fruit-bearing trees so that they can harvest fruits for their livelihood. “Nakakatulong [sila] sa environment. At the same time, nakikinabang yung community in harvesting fruits in the future,” said Tatu.

Sustainability in Daikin’s DNA

True to Daikin’s philosophy of sustainability, the program is meant to be a progressive project, and not just a one-time activity. “We already spoke with the head of MENRO and we are going to initiate an MOU between Daikin [and] the Matigsalug to make sure the trees that we planted now will really grow,” said Egbert Abogado, Daikin Philippines’ sales head for Mindanao.

Daikin has always had environmentally-friendly practices embedded in its core philosophy, and its Philippine arm strives to ramp up its efforts on sustainability. In the future, Daikin Philippines plans to take its tree planting initiatives to the Northern and Southern regions of Luzon.

ACTIVE COLLABORATION. A Daikin Philippines employee uses the Matigsalug Tribe’s traditional bag for fieldwork

Through stronger environmental awareness programs, Daikin Philippines wants to create wider and more meaningful ripples of impact. Aside from on-ground activities, Daikin also commits to sustainability on an operational level through waste reduction and designing energy-efficient and eco-friendly products.

“Daikin’s advocacy is to reduce carbon footprints, global warming, ozone depletion,” said Abogado, who highlighted Daikin’s people-first ethos. “It’s basically [ingrained in] our products and us, the employees, to contribute to the community [and] the environment.”

To learn more about Daikin Philippines’ sustainability initiatives, visit their official website. – Rappler.com