Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) marked a milestone in its climate action journey on a bright Saturday morning in Unisan, Quezon, where a patch of coastline is slowly being transformed into a thriving mangrove forest.
With shovels in hand and feet sinking into the soft earth, volunteers from Toyota’s network planted 13,000 mangrove seedlings—each one a small but powerful step toward TMP’s goal of planting one million trees by 2030 under its All Toyota Green Wave Project.
Leading the effort was TMP President Masando Hashimoto, who joined TMP team members, TMP Foundation officers, Toyota Lucena City, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) representatives, local government officials, and members of a people’s organization.
“To mark 10 years of this project, I am proud to announce TMP’s commitment to plant one million trees by 2030,” Hashimoto said in a media release.
“The 13,000 mangrove seedlings we are planting today are part of this goal, in addition to those we have already planted in other parts of Calabarzon. Our work here in Quezon marks our last stop in this region, but our one-million-tree challenge continues,” he added.
Completing the Calabarzon wave
The Unisan site completes TMP’s coverage of the Calabarzon region, joining existing reforestation sites in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal.
Since 2016, TMP has adopted 108 hectares under the DENR’s National Greening Program, focusing on protecting biodiversity in crucial ecosystems like the Sierra Madre and Verde Island Passage.
Located along Tayabas Bay—home to the country’s third-longest coastline—Unisan is both a key biodiversity area (KBA) and a community vulnerable to coastal erosion and storm surges.
Years of human activity have reduced mangrove cover here, but TMP’s five-year plan to plant 50,000 mangroves over 20 hectares aims to help reverse the damage.
Beyond climate mitigation, the effort also brings livelihood opportunities.
Local fisherfolk will help plant and maintain the site, ensuring both ecological and economic benefits.
Championing clean waters
On the same day, two-time Paralympic swimmer and Global Team Toyota Athlete Ernie Gawilan led a coastal cleanup as part of his “Dual Hero Project,” which pairs sports advocacy with environmental action.
Gawilan, who has been a partner in this initiative since 2019, is rallying Toyota dealers nationwide to surpass last year’s environmental milestones.
“I always say the ocean gave me a life,” he said in an earlier interview. “Now, I want to give back.”
In December 2024, he led a similar activity in Samal, Davao del Norte, planting 10,000 mangrove seedlings and collecting 700 bags of trash.
More than carbon offsets
Mangroves are among the most effective carbon sinks on the planet, capable of storing more carbon than many terrestrial forests.
TMP sees these ecosystems as key to both climate mitigation and disaster resilience—protecting coastlines, nurturing fisheries, and providing shelter for biodiversity.
Following the planting, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines guided volunteers in birdwatching, identifying avian species that hint at the gradual return of wildlife to restored mangrove areas.
Since 2016, TMP and its dealer network have planted over 371,000 trees nationwide, including 120,000 through the NGP.
Launched in 2015, the All Toyota Green Wave Project is part of Toyota Motor Corporation’s Global Environmental Challenge 6: establishing a future society in harmony with nature.