A chronicle of the wildlife in EDC’s geothermal and hydro areas: EDC, led by its President & COO Richard B. Tantoco and partners DENR Assistant Secretary Ricardo L. Calderon, UPLB College of Agriculture Professor Dr. Susan Aquino-Ong, UP-IB Director Ian Kendrich C. Fontanilla, UP Diliman College of Science Dean Giovanni A. Tapang, UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources Professor Emeritus Edwino S. Fernando, recently unveiled its Wildlife Treasures book at the UP-Institute of Biology auditorium
“No kind is left behind in EDC’s mission to build a clean energy future. EDC powers and protects people and planet, striking the right balance between energy, biodiversity, and community.”
Thus wrote forester Liezel B. Salagubang in one of the chapters of Wildlife Treasures, a book on the wildlife species thriving in Lopez-owned and geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation’s (EDC) geothermal reservations and hydropower facility that was recently launched in the University of the Philippines-Diliman’s Institute of Biodiversity (UP-IB) auditorium.
Apart from generating 100% clean, renewable, sustainable energy for our country, the company has been preserving the flora and fauna in its areas of operation with the help of its host communities for over 40 years. As the leading geothermal power producer that manages watershed areas accounting to 1% of the Philippines’ total landmass, EDC is in a unique position to contribute to biodiversity conservation.
Published by EDC in cooperation with UP-IB, Wildlife Treasures is proof of their long-standing and fruitful partnership that began 10 years ago when EDC tapped the university to help firm up their biodiversity conservation and monitoring program (BCMP).
“We owe whatever success and positive impact that our BCMP has to the environment and to our stakeholders to UP-IB’s former head and one our country’s foremost scientists, Dr. Perry S. Ong,” said Richard B. Tantoco, president and Chief Operating Officer of EDC.
Doc Perry, as he was fondly called by friends and students, was dean of UP Diliman’s College of Science and one of our country’s biodiversity conservation champions before he passed away last year. His legacy includes spreading awareness on the importance of caring for nature that has been taking care of us to his students and to various partners like EDC. The published book and today’s event is the company’s tribute to him.
Wildlife Treasures is Doc Perry’s brainchild that was conceptualized in 2017, immediately after EDC finished documenting the 96 Philippine native trees that it has identified, located, and began propagating under its BINHI greening legacy and forest restoration program. He believed it was high time for the company to chronicle the wildlife biodiversity in its sites to complete EDC’s legacy.
The result was a publication of vibrant photos and information on the robust habitat of fascinating species surrounding EDC’s power plants all over the country–about 291 birds, 43 bats, 25 other mammals, and 46 reptiles and amphibians, almost half of them endemic to our country. These include the flying foxes in EDC’s Bacon-Manito Geothermal Reservation in Bicol, the flying lemur in its largest geothermal reservation located in Leyte, the owl and hornbill of Negros Island where its 2nd largest geothermal reservation is located, and the iconic Philippine Eagle in Mount Apo.
Representing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Assistant Secretary for Climate Change and Biodiversity Management Bureau Director, Forester Ricardo L. Calderon said: “Here, we see a good example of a partnership that has made a significant contribution in our conservation efforts. The book Wildlife Treasures is also a clear proof that development does not always come at the expense of our environment, as evidenced by how the diverse wildlife have thrived within EDC’s geothermal reservations.”
EDC and UP-IB will donate copies of Wildlife Treasures to universities and other institutions, groups and individuals, with the hope that more people will be inspired to commit to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.
EDC is the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal producer with over 40 years of technical expertise and the country’s largest 100% renewable energy company. Its 1,457.8-megawatt installed capacity accounts for 37% of the Philippines’ total generated renewable energy.
The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is a pioneer in generating 100% clean, renewable, and reliable power as an electricity supplier in the Philippines for over 40 years. With power plants all over Visayas and Mindanao, the company is one of the biggest producers of geothermal energy in Asia and is expanding its reach in the international market, allowing it to offer customers affordable energy rates. EDC also strives to provide the best customer service it can to all its clients by having helpful salespeople and easy to understand contracts. Because of all of this, it is poised to become the premier supplier of electricity for the Philippines’ Green Energy Option Program. EDC takes its mission as a renewable energy provider seriously and goes beyond sustainability by investing in programs that enhance the environment and empower its partner communities, thereby fostering regenerative development. The company has also been working toward being carbon-neutral by improving its energy efficiency, as well as implementing various greening projects to ensure that its mission to provide future generations with a better life remains intact.
