Manila, Philippines - Sir Winston Churchill once said that the price of greatness is responsibility.
As the biggest and most preferred homebuilder in the country, Vista Land is aware of its huge responsibility, not only to its shareholders and stakeholders, but more importantly to the community and to Mother Earth.
Just last week, Vista Land launched GreenViron simultaneously in 10 key provinces as its contribution to efforts towards achieving sustainability. In the past however, VistaLand, through its brands Brittany, Crown Asia and Camella, has consistently taken on environmental related programs and causes.
Inspired by the efforts of the Villar Foundation, Vista Land saw the importance of rehabilitating nature, protecting what limited resources still exist, and creating values that support an eco-friendly way of living and put together GreenViron which is a collection of programs designed to sustain Mother Earth.
Villar Foundation, which was recently been lauded by the United Nations for its river rehabilitation program has received at least 3 other international accolades in the last 5 years for its green social enterprises programs.
GreenViron is a combination of the words “green” and “environ.” The term “green” denotes today’s massive movement towards sustainable methods and technologies designed to rehabilitate and badly polluted and ravaged planet while the word “environ” is the act of surrounding of enclosing.
“We chose a verb (environ) because we need to rally people to move, to get up off their comfortable chairs, get out there, and rehabilitate the only home we have. By bringing ‘green’ and ‘environ’ together, it becomes a call to action, a command to move and take what is around us and make the environment green again,” Brittany COO Camille Villar explains.
Vista Land’s commitment to the global call to preserve the environment is shown in programs adopted from the international award-winning Villar Foundation. “We believe in the advocacies of the Villar Foundation and are doing our share in support of these advocacies. After all, Vista Land and the Villar Foundation have the same heart,” added VistaLand CEO and president Benjamarie Serrano.
There are actually four specific programs under GreenViron that have been inspired by the Villar Foundation.
The first one is waste segregation and recycling, turning biodegradable waste into fertilizer and recycling non-bio waste. These are being practiced in Vista Land project developments.
The second involves using composted garden waste collected from segregation efforts for vermiculture, which is an organic way of producing fertilizers with the help of Mother Nature’s great creation – earth worm castings.
The third program involves weaving coconut coir from husks that are discarded into the waterways, damming the river. Today, the coco coir nets are used to prevent soil erosion.
And the fourth – planting of tree and plant varieties to create green zones that purify the air, hold the soil, and soothe the spirit. “Over the years, one million trees have been planted in VistaLand and Villar-owned properties nationwide. Through GreenViron, we will continue planting a million more trees within the coming years,” Serrano revealed.
But Vista Land knows that it takes more than words to preserve nature. And that is why during the launch, participants who sincerely believe in the advocacies of GreenViron were asked to recite an oath together. (Upon registration, partners, guests, homeowners and employees were given oath cards and seed packs and other giveaways).
Part of the oath says: “Practice in words and in deed please. The seeds for a greener tomorrow is in your hands.”
As pointed out by the program hosts, more than a company activity, GreenViron is an act of love and commitment, not just for the planet but for future generations.
This year, the company aims to plant 100,000 tree varieties. During last week’s launch alone, 10,000 trees (including molave and mahogany) were planted in 10 projects nationwide.
No less than Vista Land president and CEO Benjamarie Serrano, company chief finance officer Cynthia Javarez, Crown Asia COO Mary Lee Sadiasa, and Camella Head of Operations Ric Pallesco joined 400 other participants at Evia in Daang Hari representing the Greater Manila Area to plant Indian trees and African tulips.
Brittany Corp. COO Camille Villar, Vista Land chairman of the board Marcelino Mendoza and Golden Haven president Mike Regino meanwhile joined 300 others at Sta. Elena in Sta. Rosa, Laguna in the planting of acacia, mahogany, and pine trees.
Seen with 250 others at the Lakefront project in Sucat planting tree assortment were Lakefront Head of Marketing Romeo Sabater, Red Rosales who is marketing head for vertical development -Makati group and Beth Kalaw, marketing head for vertical group - QC area.
Also joining the momentous occasion are Camella Luzon operations head Dante Julongbayan who was in Antipolo and Camella Bulacan GM Ailene Sarmiento who led participants in Provence, Malolos, Bulacan.
Meanwhile, Camella Naga representing South Luzon saw its GM Natanette Pardito planting pili trees with 50 staff. Others leading the tree-planting activities are Camella Iloilo GM Lili Donasco (at Savannah, Iloilo), Riverdale GM Myra Gilig and Azienda GM Jasmin Alviola (at Riverdale, Cebu), Camella CDO GM Emelia Lustado (at Gran Europa, Cagayan de Oro), and Camella Regions planning head Arch. Art Secuya (at Toscana, Davao City).
But while serious and committed in their undertaking, guests and employees also had their share of fun and merriment. Though some provinces like Davao and Cagayan de Oro held additional activities such as a mass and a motorcade respectively, all areas kicked the day off with body jamming. Joining group officials in Evia is Vista Land child celebrity endorser Chacha Canete who reminded many participants that making the Earth a better place to live in for future generations is something truly worth fighting for.