ANGELES CITY – Porac Bank, one of the biggest homegrown banks in Central
Luzon, recently joined the advocacy for the rehabilitation and development of the
Angeles Watershed in Barangay Sapangbato here.
Porac Bank president and CEO Lourdes Connie C. Tayag led the signing of the
memorandum of agreement for the Adopt-a-Watershed Reforestation Program
(AWRP) on Aug. 3 at the Best Western Metro Clark in Balibago, this city.
The MOA was signed between Porac Bank, the AWRP implementor Abacan River
and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI), and the Aeta group
Kapatirang Aetas ng Angeles-Porac para sa Kalikasan at Agrikultura (KAAPKA).
The AWRP is part of the Angeles Watershed Rehabilitation Initiatives (AWRI), a
joint advocacy project of ARAW-ACI and the Angeles City LGU. AWRP is a
sustainable reforestation program that ensures the survival of plants from initial
life stage up to three years.
Under the AWRP, a sponsor like Porac Bank adopts one hectare or a bigger
planting site inside the 527-hectare Angeles watershed, then provides funding for
seedlings, fertilizers, and maintenance cost.
Porac Bank is the third private sector entity to formally adopt a planting site
inside watershed. The pilot company that adopted two-hectares in November
2021 is Converge ICT Solutions, Inc., followed by the Pampanga Press Club
Foundation, Inc. (PPCFI), which adopted one hectare last January.
Several private sector groups are also set to adopt more planting sites. ARAW-ACI
is preparing the MOA signing for the De La Salle Alumni Association of Pampanga,
Jocson College, and the Rotary Club Angeles Kuliat, Editha Arceo & Family, and
the Balibago Waterworks System, Inc.
In a statement, Tayag said Porac Bank has taken sustainability footprints in
support of their sustainable goals for the company. Prior to the AWRP, Porac Bank
invested in solar power to reduce carbon footprint.
“As we now envision sustainable banking on all fronts, we seek to embed
environmental and social sustainability principles in how we do banking. In 2021,
Porac Bank firmed up its clean energy plan by investing in solar power. We have
equipped our corporate center, head office and eight of our branches with solar
panels. This step has made us a pioneer, if not the first solar-powered rural bank
in the country. As a result, we have reduced our carbon footprint and started to
save more on electricity consumption,” she said.
Tayag said their support to the reforestation program will not only strengthen
their sustainable goals for the environment, but will also help the indigenous
people in Barangay Sapangbato The financial assistance extended to them for the
maintenance of the planting sites is an alternative livelihood from traditional
farming.
Meanwhile, Renato “Abong” S. Tayag Jr., president of ARAW-ACI, expressed
gratitude to Porac Bank and lauded the company for its active participation in the
AWRP.
“This Is a dream unfolding into reality. With the full support of the local
government led by the honorable Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr., the AWRP
continuously gained support from the private sector. More groups are joining the
cause. We are advocating for water security in Angeles City and Metro Clark. And
we thank Porac Bank for taking a big leap with us in this advocacy. This is for the
benefit of Angelenos and the next generations to come,” he said.
Porac Bank is a closed family bank founded by Primo and Servillana David,
Marciano Dizon, Mamerto De Mesa, Irmelo David, Vicente David, and Juan
Cuyugan in 1968 to help the communities around Porac reach their financial
goals.
Today, Porac Bank has expanded its branch network throughout the busiest and
most progressive towns and cities of Pampanga and Tarlac including Angeles City,
Mabalacat City, City of San Fernando, and the towns of Magalang, Porac, Arayat,
Mexico, Floridablanca, Concepcion, Tarlac and Tarlac City. The bank offers
traditional banking products like regular passbook savings, checking account, time
deposit, and loans for commercial, consumption, housing, and agri/agra purposes.
