Women continue to shape communities and drive meaningful change beyond their roles in the family. This was evident in a recent tree-planting initiative led by Converge ICT Solutions Inc. in celebration of Women’s Month. The activity brought together mentors and mentees from its women’s leadership program, Grace Under Pressure: MentorSHE, to demonstrate leadership in sustainability.
Braving the heat, 30 Converge employees gathered in Sitio Sapangbato, Angeles, Pampanga, planting 1,000 mandarin and coffee seedlings in support of the local government’s Watershed Reforestation Program. This initiative aims to protect water sources and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for local farmers.
“We launched this project not just to protect the environment, but also to reaffirm our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Jay-Anne Encarnado, Converge VP and Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations. “As leaders, we must excel in our professional roles while advocating for sustainability and community welfare.”
For Mel Cabase, Converge VP and Head of System & Process Improvement, the initiative was a meaningful contribution to future generations. “We hope these trees will flourish and foster a healthier environment for the next generation,” she said.
Mentee Donna Villanueva, Head of Global Network Operations Center (NOC), shared how the experience broadened her perspective. “It was an eye-opener about climate concerns and also a great way to engage in physical activity. I don’t think this will be my last time volunteering,” she remarked.
This marks just the beginning, as Converge plans to return for a second round of tree planting with an additional 1,350 seedlings. The initiative aligns with the company’s sustainability mission, further strengthened by its recent partnership with the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) to plant 600 Philippine teak seedlings in Batangas.
