A Philippines operator is taking its social responsibility goals seriously by setting up a partnership with a foundation that works to conserve wildlife.
The partnership between International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) and the Katala Foundation Inc will work on a conservation project in Palawan’s Victoria-Anepa’an Mountain Range.
“We look forward to this partnership as it also reflects the personal commitments of our shareholders to preserving wildlife and habitats and towards creating sustainable education initiatives protecting our natural heritage,” said Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI Global Corporate Head and President of the ICTSI Foundation.
Increasing biodiversity
The project will work to improve the conservation status of threatened and endangered endemic species to Palawan, including the critically endangered Philippine Pangolin, Philippine Cockatoo and Palawan Porcupine.
An identified key biodiversity area, the Victoria Anepa’an Range forms the central cordillera of the main island of Palawan and has a highly significant level of biodiversity with 31% of species there being of high global conservation significance.
But it’s considered by many to be “open access” for resource exploitation, meaning that it has seen high levels of illegal logging and wildlife poaching, particularly on the accessible southern fringes of the area facing the Sulu Sea.
Under the project’s first year, Katala and the ICTSI Foundation will consult with indigenous people-stakeholders, conduct awareness campaigns and develop wildlife warden and patrolling schemes, among others.
Once completed, the project aims to facilitate formal protection of priority areas and help guide policy development for threatened wildlife in Palawan and the Philippines.
