Negros oriental: The Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI) is supporting decarbonization efforts across the country as it advocates for a Philippine carbon credit law. In an interview on Monday, NOCCI president Edward Du highlighted the organization's awareness of activities and practices aimed at reducing the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite these efforts, Du noted that they are currently minor contributions.
According to Philippines News Agency, Du emphasized the need to encourage members to actively participate in reducing emissions at the source. However, he pointed out that many still require education on the benefits of supporting a low-carbon economy. Du expressed interest in participating in carbon trading initiatives, contingent on the establishment of a carbon credit law, but acknowledged limitations due to the absence of such legislation.
Du highlighted NOCCI's contribution to decarbonization through a four-year continuous mangrove tree planting initiative, following a major reforestation effort on Negros Island. NOCCI supported the '10 Million in 10 Years for a Greener Negros' (10 M in 10) initiative, which successfully planted 10 million native trees in partnership with the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
By the sixth year in 2021, the initiative met its goal of planting 10 million trees. Du noted that NOCCI and its affiliates, including the Alliance of Mangrove Planting Organizations (AMPO) and New Bian Yek Commercial Inc. (NBYCI), continue their mangrove planting efforts. AMPO planting coordinator Sidney Lee reported that the alliance has planted over 1.3 million mangrove seedlings at various sites in the province, with planting conducted every three months by different AMPO members.
Despite these efforts, Lee admitted there are no current efforts to document or collect data on the mangroves' contribution to carbon sequestration. Du expressed the intention to consult with EDC and DENR to explore third-party evaluation for calculating the carbon sequestration of the planted mangroves.
A third-party evaluator confirmed that the trees planted in the 10 M in 10 initiative achieved a survival rate of 79 to 85 percent, resulting in a total of 307,552 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided. Du noted the complexity of participating in carbon trading and the absence of relevant legislation in the Philippines.
Du expressed optimism about a pending bill in Congress, which they support. The Philippines is currently developing a legal framework for carbon credit, with initiatives like the proposed House Bill (HB) 11375 and ongoing work by the Department of Energy and Natural Resources to create a carbon credit registry and platform. HB 11375, also known as the proposed "Low Carbon Economy Investment Act" authored by Rep. Jose Manuel Alba of Bukidnon, aims to establish a national carbon pricing system to reduce carbon emissions and promote climate-resilient economic growth.
