By Claire Morales True

QUEZON CITY – The QBE Green SanQtuary Park is ready to welcome nature lovers and guests after its inauguration by Million Trees Foundation, Inc. (MTFI), the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and QBE GSSC (Group Shared Services Centre) at the La Mesa watershed compound in Quezon City.

The park which broke ground last March 11, 2024, is the maiden long-term collaboration program of QBE GSSC and MTFI. QBE GSSC through the QBE Foundation has initially contributed P3.7 million to support the different environment protection projects of MTFI.

Leading the green park’s inauguration were QBE officials from Australia, MTFI President and Executive Director Melandrew T. Velasco and MWSS Administrator Engr. Leonor Cleofas who both cited QBE for its pursuit of long-term sustainability program for the La Mesa watershed in support of the Annual Million Trees Challenge.

Aside from the development of the green park, the QBE GSSC and MTFI partnership involves the establishment of greenhouses containing native and fruit-bearing seedlings, rebagging of saplings, and tree-planting and tree-growing activities in areas to be designated by MTFI.

QBE Green SanQtuary Park covers 1,600 sq. meters of the 5-hectare area assigned by MWSS to MTFI for its Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center as part of the watershed rehabilitation projects.

The La Mesa watershed has been identified as one of the seven critical watersheds beneficiaries of the Annual Million Trees Challenge, a noble initiative of MWSS started in 2017 that aimed to rehabilitate watersheds essential in the water supply of Metropolitan Manila and neighbouring provinces. It is composed of 2,700 hectares of forest and watershed area, the only forest area in the metropolis.

Within the La Mesa compound is the La Mesa Dam and Reservoir which is part of the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system that supplies most of the water requirement of Metro Manila.

The QBE GSSC Sustainability Committee known as Team Verde is composed of volunteers from various towers across the organization committed to bolster a resilient workforce and support sustainable communities through various initiatives.

Team Verde has been involved in environment protection activities such as tree-growing and coastal clean-up. It has also conducted environment awareness campaigns among its employees.

More volunteers for its sustainability program are being recruited by Team Verde and their induction is among the activities during the inauguration of the QBE Green SanQtuary.

The GSSC inauguration team were represented by Atty Bing Regaldo, VP Deputy General Counsel Samir Kumar and Atty Cathy Nuval, Legal Counsel.

The Million Trees Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization and the partner non-government organization of MWSS in the continued implementation of the Annual Million Tree Challenge. Since its kick-off tree-planting activity at Ipo dam in 2017, around 7.8 million trees have been planted in critical watersheds vital to the water supply in MWSS coverage areas.

Congratulations for an important project for Mother Earth!