SyCipLaw Champions Forests and Climate Action in WLG | impact '23 Initiative

June 27, 2023

In line with World Law Group's WLG | impact '23, SyCipLaw, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), conducted an orientation on "The Role of Forests in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption," for SyCipLaw's legal and non-legal staff on June 27, 2023. WLG | impact is an annual month-long, network-wide initiative of WLG, in which member-firms would complete an environment-themed CSR project. SyCipLaw has participated in WLG | impact since its inception in 2021.

The orientation featured Forester Lemuel Tolosa of the DENR and Ms. Khairon-Niza Magundacan, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager of PBSP. Forester Tolosa discussed the importance of forests and watersheds in addressing climate change, particularly their role as sinks of carbon dioxide and providers of ecological services. He also shared information about the DENR's programs such as the Enhanced National Greening Program. On the other hand, Ms. Magundacan discussed the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the effects of climate on the attainment of those goals. In the context of the role of forests in reducing the flow of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere and in mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events, she highlighted PBSP's various watershed and mangrove rehabilitation projects which its member companies (such as SyCipLaw) may participate in.

The orientation is a run-up to a tree-planting activity that will be undertaken by SyCipLaw with PBSP at the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (Marikina Watershed) in August. The Marikina Watershed is a forested river basin which plays a vital role in regulating flooding in the low-lying areas of Metro Manila. In past years, SyCipLaw's WLG | impact projects focused on solid waste reduction, in particular, providing means for its employees to engage in waste reduction and recycling waste at home and at work. Explaining the rationale for this year's activity, the head of SyCipLaw's Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, Jose Florante M. Pamfilo, said "the Philippines is among the world's most vulnerable countries when it comes to climate change, and one of the ways its effects are concretely felt by the average Filipino is through extreme weather events. By joining PBSP's efforts to rehabilitate the Marikina Watershed, we hope to afford SyCipLaw employees an opportunity to contribute in addressing an issue of national and global concern which also affects them in a very tangible way."

SyCipLaw Managing Partner Hector M. de Leon, Jr. welcomes participants during the orientation on "The Role of Forests in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation."

SyCipLaw Partner and CSR Committee Head Jose Florante M. Pamfilo reflects on the impactful initiatives from the past WLG Impact Month and sets the stage for an enlightening session by introducing the esteemed resource speakers.

Forester Lemuel Tolosa of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) underscores the importance of forests and watersheds in mitigating climate change.

Khairon-Niza Magundacan, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility manager, highlights PBSP's various watershed and mangrove rehabilitation projects participated in by its member-companies.

The orientation session was met with full attentiveness and involvement from the SyCipLaw legal and non-legal staff.

Mr. de Leon (left) and Mr. Pamfilo (right) with speakers, Ms. Magundacan of PBSP and Forester Tolosa of DENR