Leading mobile wallet GCash is now introducing the first
ever green feature on their apps available to all users and subscribers, it’s
the GCash Forest and it was launch last June 25 at Green Sun Hotel in Makati
City.
GCash Forest eyes 365,000 trees planted in 365 days at
Ipo Watershed, an essential component of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo watersheds system
that supply 98% of water in Metro Manila. This is a tie up with Department of
Environment and Natural Resources and World Wildlife Fund who will provide the
tree seedlings.
“Almost a month ago we launch GCash for good, and the
reason we launch G Cash for Good is we believe that more than being the number
1 mobile wallet in the country today, Gcash would have to do more for its subscribers,
for its users and for the Filipino people.” Ney Villasenor, Vice President for corporate
communications for Gcash said during our interview.
Every time you will use the GCash apps, you will earn
energy and a tree that you can nourish in the coming days every time you’ll do
transactions with Gcash app, its only in the app because the growing of your
virtual tree is only applicable on that, you will not get charges or deductions
in selecting a tree that you want to grow and plant in the said watershed.
“We want to make sure that every transaction you do in
the app would have a corresponding carbon points, this carbon points could be
use to feed your virtual tree, and for every virtual tree you plant, we
together with WWF would plant a physical tree at Ipo Dam.” Villasenor further
explain.
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| Ney Villasenor of GCash |
To plant trees through GCash Forest, GCash users need to
collect “green energy” by frequently using the app, if you collect enough
energy you can choose which species of trees you want to plant in a selected
area of the Ipo watershed. Once the trees are physically planted, you will get
a certificate of ownership with a serial number.
“We think we have to do more, we think the app could be
use for good and at the heart of what we do is our customers, we think our
customers would have to a different experience inside the apps, more than us
facilitating convenience in your banking, in your shopping. We have to bring
everybody to a higher purpose, and tackling key issues not just the environment
is a good step hence the G Cash Forest.” Villasenor said.
GCash Forest is inspired by a product operated by Ant
Financial, an Alibaba affiliate that have more than 500 million users and have
planted 100 million real trees. As per DENR Forest Management Bureau, the
Philippines is losing 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year, and they need
to rehabilitate 1.2 million hectares of forest lands by 2022 to prevent landslides,
ensure water deposits and preserve biodiversity.
“This is the first of many commitments that we are
making, 365,000 trees in 365 days is not easy, why we chose Ipo dam, because
the Ipo Angat Dam watershed system
provides 98% of the water requirements of Metro Manila, and because we are
experiencing serious water crisis today, we owe it to ourselves to be proactive
and what can be done.” Villasenor in closing.
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