The Que legacy: Corporate social responsibility personified
Iloilo once enjoyed the tag, "Queen City of the South," still relishes the title "City of Love" as it opens its doors to become highly-urbanized.
In the province with 42 towns and one component city, tags and titles vary from the northernmost town of Estancia being the "Alaska of the Philippines." Or to Guimbal down South as the "Tourist Destination."
Business has since flourished with the economy of both city and provincial governments registering a significant high even in trying times where revenues are at its lowest.
Unemployment and discontent in governance remain alongside the influx of new jobs and greater opportunities. Investments from both domestic and foreign players range from a few thousands to millions of pesos alongside the ventures of the government and partnerships with other governments.
In the midst of it all comes the battle of preserving the environment. Where development sets in, imbalance and destruction may happen. Where progress steps in, devastation and tragedy is feared.
As such, "protection" has now become a byword where government steps in to regulate that direction for development, ever mindful of people's right to a life of dignity and the general welfare of the citizenry.
As such, policies and programs are designed appropriate to the changing needs of the community.
One of such policy was the Industrial Forest Management Agreement or IFMA. As designed, IFMA was headed towards ensuring ecological balance and realizing an atmosphere where opportunities for income and wealth is proportionate to the promotion of the general well-being of forest-dependent individuals and communities.
The Philippine Government when it embarked in this project envisioned an improved management of residual natural forests. Primary government agency responsible for such is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), where the guiding principle as mandated stands to be conservation, management, development and proper use of the country's environment and natural resources.
IFMA established Industrial Forest Plantations (IFPs) where private sector investment was embraced.
In Iloilo, the call for IFMA support was answered back in 1994 by business and family man, Johnny Que.
"Toto" to his faithful employees, Que has since instilled the value of hard work and commitment reminiscent of the Que legacy that has caused Que chain of businesses to expand. For decades now and generation to generation, the Que family undoubtedly grew to become an icon in the business community of Iloilo.
Que sera sera? Not quite for this one Que who served to talk about hands-on operation in family businesses and related ventures. Same Que who best exemplified the true meaning of dedication and focus, not just getting things done but getting it done right.
Que's IFMA site is located in the hinterland barangays of Progreso, Badiangan and Agbobolo, Ajuy, Iloilo. Altogether, the government granted him forest tenure of 25 years for 540 hectares of public forest land.
Here vast lands of greens and full-blown trees now stand to be the 'living witnesses' of an IFMA gone really right though its start was admitted to be bleak.
The start was bleak with the site marked with acidic soil, zero road network and predominantly cogonal. Progreso Barangay Captain Carmelino Beatingo when asked of the area's history said his recollection was that since after World War 2, not a single portion of the area had trees.
To date, Que's best efforts saw the survival of over 110,000 trees, a road network and commitment to what has since been expected of him when granted of IFMA No. 6-7-IFMA 001-12312.
In the words of DENR 6's Regional Executive Director Julian Amador in the observance of World Environment Day, "Let us examine the state of environment and consider carefully the actions we must take to address the preservation of life on this earth."
Sentiments shared by Que who vowed to finish off his end of the bargain by planting more trees, securing the thousands existing and going that extra mile in preserving the environment.
Future plans "with God's grace" he stressed, include the planting of more trees and the development of the site. While at it, Que envisions an eco-tourism community that would run consistent with the government's environmental policies and tourism drive that are all 'environment-friendly.'
Que would speak of that day he wanted to see a nature park developed in the area where beyond the revenue it would generate both to the government and to the private partner, the land as protected and rehabilitated will remain as such -- protected and rehabilitated.
Que's IFMA site has contributed to the growth of the Municipality of Ajuy which now ranks first in terms of forest-rehabilitation efforts. 548.79 hectares of reforested government land in a tenure program that has contributed to the region's ranking of being third in the country in terms of Philippine Forest cover.
Que's legacy and the government's IFMA. No "ifs" on this one.