Making amends with Mother

MANILA, Philippines - If there’s one thing that we Filipinos acknowledge, it’s that you don’t mess with your mother! What we should do is show her some respect. And that’s exactly what we owe our dear mother nature – lots of TLC and loads of respect!

With the mass havoc that recent typhoons Pedring and Quiel have wreaked upon Northern Luzon, there looms a powerful reminder that we cannot fight nature. Instead, it makes better sense that we work alongside it. Hence, the timing of Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) could not have been better, in celebrating its 14th inaugural anniversary by pursuing a noble environmental project – an agro-forestry and livelihood sustainability program in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in Isabela.

“Since 2002, we have made it a habit to mark our anniversary by giving back to society – particularly with regard to environmentalism,” said IPC President Ryoji Yamazaki in a speech in Ilagan, Isabela. “We are going to carry out education programs for the local farmers, so that destruction of forests can be prevented. This initiative will enable the farmers to generate adequate income and eventually improve their livelihood,” he added.

IPC has committed to fund the establishment of 40 hectares of agro-forestry land in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in Ilagan, Isabela, as it is the largest remaining swath of old-growth rainforest in the Philippines, according to the WWF. They have likewise committed to plant 100 mango and satsuma seedlings per hectare, and to train farmers in agro-forestry and seedling production.

The tree-planting event was held last September 29 and attended by some 120 locals, consisting of farmers and their families – who are the local project partners – from namely: the Ifugao tribe from Sitio Pulang Lupa and Sitio Coop; the Villa Gracia Agroforestry Developers Cooperative; and other farmers from Barangay Villa Imelda. The project was also supported by the local municipal council, headed by Ilagan Mayor Josemarie Diaz.

The tree-planting site was an obvious choice for reforestation, as it also functions as a watershed to the Cagayan Valley – Luzon’s largest rice granary. The progressive depletion of this forest through the years has slowly led to increasing floods, the escalation of soil erosion, and food insecurity within the community.

“It’s amazing that an automotive company like Isuzu truly cares both for the environment and for the welfare of our local farmers,” remarked Ilagan Mayor Diaz. “Isuzu is doing the right thing here by setting an admirable example! Hopefully, others will take Isuzu’s lead,” he enthusiastically added.

On a more personal note, what I found truly synergistic was IPC’s solutions for managing our already-upset-mother. On top of faithfully pushing for corporate social responsibility projects that give back to the environment, they also provide the country with an array of hardy vehicles that can brave the country’s intermittent floods, and extreme road conditions. Among these are Isuzu’s Crosswind AUV, the D-MAX pickup, the Alterra SUV and various light to heavy-duty trucks and buses. After all, it is common knowledge that driving through towns on Philippine roads is not a walk in the park.

For this particular trip, our team rode on Isuzu Alterras... and on our way back, we had to cross an area in La Paz, Tarlac that was already closed to the public, due to deep flooding. Only big vehicles, like trucks and buses were permitted to pass. Not so surprisingly, our convoy of Isuzu Alterras made it through, without breaking a sweat! It was an excellent demonstration of how Isuzu vehicles fit the local context. True to their tagline, Isuzu took us there... and back!