Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), recently turne dover forest protection equipment and watchtower facility to people’s organization Kalikasan ng Puncan Inc. (KAPUNCAN) and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) in Barangay Puncan, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

This initiative culminates a multi-year reforestation and biodiversity protection program that covered five hectares of Mount 387 Batong Amat. It stands to augment efforts of the PENRO and KAPUNCAN to prevent and extinguish forest fires that cause further deforestation and biodiversity loss in the protected area. It will also benefit local eco-tourism initiatives as Mount 387 has become a popular hiking destination and hailed as the Chocolate Hills of the North.

As part of its broader thrust to embed Sustainability into its operations, Smart, together with its parent company PLDT Inc., champions environment stewardship and biodiversity protection in the course of its network rollout and shared value partnerships. These go in line with its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 13 for Climate Action, 15 for Life on Land, and 17 for Partnerships for the Goals.