Filipina CEOs take the trowel to plant trees at Lima Estates

THE Filipina CEO Circle (FCC), an esteemed organization of women chief executives leading various companies in sectors ranging from manufacturing, finance and industrials to media, retail, business process outsourcing and health care, trooped down to southern Metro Manila to explore Lima Estates — Aboitiz InfraCapital’s latest development in providing innovative infrastructure solutions to businesses and communities.

This energetic group of women leaders gather monthly to learn, discuss and share the latest developments and issues on various compelling topics.

This month’s theme was sustainability, the buzzword in global corporations and Philippine corporations.

Commuting to the site aboard the Luxe Bus were Cosette Canilao, Blanca Mercado, Patricia May Siy, Riza Mantaring, Sharon Dayoan, Agnes Gervacio, Karen Roa, Zondy Garcia, Trina Prodigalidad, Flor Tarriela, Ireen Catane, Ambe Tierro, Riena Pama, Karen Batungbakal-de Venecia and Tin Villongco.

The highlight of the visit was the tree-planting activity inside the Lima Estates, located on the boundary of Lipa and Malvar Batangas, hence the name Lima. Native tree seedlings such as supa, catmon, malacatmon, ipil and salinggoba were provided by the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) Binhi program, the largest private sector-led reforestation program in the Philippines.

The women leaders toured around Lima Estates and witnessed how sustainability is integrated into infrastructure development and into the daily lives of the community of 65,000 employees on 900 hectares that has a four-star hotel, a transportation hub, retail stores and restaurants.

As they returned to Manila, the FCC women averred they became much wiser about the significance of native trees in urban aesthetics and the ability to prevent environmental degradation and alleviate the greenhouse effect.