To support efforts in transforming EDSA into a calmer, cleaner and green thoroughfare, the Aboitiz Group showcased its best practices and highlighted the role that the private sector plays in addressing the prevailing issues that plague the national traffic corridor during the recent Green Edsa Movement (GEM) webinar hosted by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) .
The virtual event brought together stakeholders from the government, private sector, and non-profit organizations to discuss action points on turning Metro Manila’s iconic highway into a thriving green, mobile green space.
“Transforming EDSA requires a holistic plan and we all have a part to play to help fulfill the mandate of the Green EDSA Movement and it is clear that we must all work together if we want to turn this into a reality,” said Aboitiz Equity Ventures Chief Reputation & Sustainability Officer Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar. “But above all else, we must approach this with a different attitude and mindset grounded on sustainability and climate justice. It is imperative that our pursuit of economic development must not come at the expense of the planet.”
Launched in 2021, GEM recognizes the need for the expansion of the green canopy over Metro Manila for the physical and mental wellbeing of its users and as a means for climate change mitigation, as well as to improve the aesthetic appeal of the cityscape.
Moreover, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will play a vital role in the effort to convert EDSA into a sustainable green program with measurable targets and a timetable that the GEM will advocate and support.
“Better mobility is necessary as we recover from the economic recession brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and it is high time we unclog, clean up, and transform the capital’s major national traffic corridor to improve the quality of life in Metro Manila and rebuild our economy, stronger, better, and faster,” she added.
The Aboitiz Group has been championing several efforts to address environmental challenges including strategies to address Climate Change. Long before the COP26 agreements and declarations, the company has already made strides in restoring and rehabilitating the forest ecosystem and biodiversity of the country through the Balabag Wetland Project in Boracay and the planting of 11.73 million trees in A-PARK.
Furthermore, the company piloted the BEST Bus in Davao City, a fleet of electric buses that provide sustainable, eco-friendly and inclusive public transport for communities which is already seeing replications in other areas.
“Through these and many more programs across the Group, Aboitiz team members are proactively campaigning for the UN Decade of Action 2021 to 2030… As we look to the future, we are confident that we will achieve significant gains through continued multi-sectoral collaborations and a clearly defined purpose of driving sustainable transformations for the benefit of people and the planet.” Hontiveros-Malvar concluded.
The Green EDSA Movement is supported by the largest businesses and organizations in the country, including the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Filipino-Chinese Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCII), Financial Executives Institute, Inc. (FINEX), Makati Business Club (MBC), Management Association of the Philippines, Move-as-One Coalition, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Exporters Confederation, Philippine Retailers Association, Women’s Business Council, among many others.
