Grab Philippines Launches Green Programme: 1,000 Mangroves Planted in La Union

Grab Philippines Director for Strategy Greg Camacho [1st from right] and Grab’s Head of Group Sustainability Iris Chang [2nd from right] spearheaded the planting of the initial batch of mangrove trees in Dulao, La Union, together with volunteer Grab users, driver-partners, and employees

Grab Philippines has planted the first 1,000 of 80,000 pledged mangrove trees in Dulao, La Union, marking an early milestone in its newly launched Green Programme. Done in celebration of Earth Day 2025, the initiative underscores the superapp’s broader push to embed environmental sustainability into the country’s ride-hailing and on-demand delivery industries.

The Green Programme, which was launched in the Philippines in February 2025, empowers users to play an active role in environmental stewardship through tech.  By enabling the Green Program toggle on the Grab App, users get to contribute PHP 2 for every GrabCar ride and PHP 1 for every GrabFood or GrabMart delivery transaction. 

GrabForGood Forest in Dulao, La Union

One of the flagship initiatives to emerge from the program is the GrabForGood Forest in Dulao, La Union — a planned five-hectare mangrove enrichment site set to nurture thousands of mangrove seedlings. The initiative is a collaboration between Grab, the Dulao Fishpond and Fishpen Producer’s Cooperative, the Philippine-based sustainability NGO Fostering Education and Environment for Development (FEED), and the environmental tech platform EcoMatcher. 

La Union's coastal village of Dulao is among the communities in the country that grapple with escalating water and food security threats driven by climate change, notably rising sea levels, and intensifying typhoons. Mangrove enrichment has become a pivotal strategy to fortify natural defenses. This initiative is a cornerstone of the "Ridge to Reef" (R2R) strategy, championed by FEED and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), alongside various private, public, academic, NGO, and community-led efforts in La Union. This collective endeavor fosters an enabling environment for inclusive, integrated, multi-stakeholder collaboration aimed at sustainable development. Mangrove forests are crucial habitats for marine biodiversity and enhance the livelihoods of Dulao’s fishing community.

The Dulao Fishpond and Fishpen Producer's Cooperative is at the forefront of sustainability efforts in their community, emphasizing the critical role of environmental action and conservation in supporting their livelihood and daily lives.

The project kicked off with the community mangrove-planting event led by volunteer Grab users, driver-partners, employees, representatives from partner organizations, and the local community — a grassroots push to anchor long-term resilience. FEED and the Dulao Fishpond and Fishpen Cooperative took an active role in facilitating the orientation, providing a comprehensive introduction on proper mangrove planting techniques, and explaining the positive impact of this initiative on the community. Delailah Lacadue, Head of Dulao Fishpond and Fishpen Producer's Cooperative, notes, “We wish to express our gratitude to Grab, FEED, DMMMSU, the local government of Aringay, EcoMatcher, and to all stakeholders for this mangrove enrichment project. This will surely help us in terms of environmental protection and livelihood as well. Kami po ay kasama ninyo sa pangangalaga ng Kalikasan para sa mga susunod pang henerasyon. We, the local community, commit to being your active partner for sustainability.”

“This is just the beginning — a pivotal first step in our long-term commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Greg Camacho, Director for Strategy at Grab Philippines. “The Green Programme is grounded in a simple yet powerful idea: when eco-friendly choices are made easy, inclusive, and accessible, they can inspire real positive impact for communities like Dulao. The planting of this first wave of mangroves, made possible by initial contributions via the Green Programme, proves that climate action doesn’t have to be distant or difficult—it can be seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of millions.”

The partnership with EcoMatcher enables tree tracking, ensuring transparency in where contributions are directed. “For sustainability-minded consumers, transparency is key,” said Bas Fransen, CEO of EcoMatcher. “Partnering with Grab Philippines through the Green Programme allows us to bring our advocacy for transparency-driven sustainability closer to Filipino consumers in a meaningful way.” 

With growing participation among users, the leading superapp is geared to scale the environmental impact of the Green Programme and turn individual contributions into lasting, collective change in more areas across the country. 

Converge's New Subsea Cable Boosts Philippine Connectivity

Converge, along with the cable builder and contractor of the consortium, HMN Technologies, landed the cable of SEA-H2X ashore as the cable ship arrived in Bauang, La Union.

Leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. announced that the Philippine branch of the South-East Asia Hainan-Hong Kong Express Cable System (“SEA-H2X”) has officially made a landfall in Bauang, La Union, Philippines, and is envisioned to boost intra-Asia data capacity and connectivity. 

“Building up the Converge international cabling capacity has always been a long-term investment and today, we see a major development on that front. As early as now, we’re preparing for the region’s capacity needs, as far ahead as 10-15 years down the road,” said Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy.

Converge employees proudly holding the cable end of the SEA-H2X Philippine branch.

At the outset, the SEA H2X is intended to be a state-of-the-art, high-capacity fiber-optic submarine cable system that will address the increasing telecommunications traffic capacity demands within the region.

The SEA-H2X has six landing points in Southeast Asia : Hong Kong SAR (Tseung Kwan O), China (Lingshui), Malaysia (Kuching), Philippines (La Union), Singapore (Tuas), and Thailand (Songkhla).

With a system design capacity of 160 Tbps (terabits per second), SEA-H2X aims to further increase the international capacity and reinforce the resiliency of its undersea fiber links within the Asia Pacific region.  Ultimately, it is intended to provide superior connectivity to subscribers and businesses in the Philippines; it is seen to benefit institutions seen as large consumers of bandwidth such as outsourcing and offshore industry, including major contact centers, business process outsourcing providers, global financial institutions and a host of other multinationals. 

Bauang, La Union is one of the SEA-H2X’s six landing points in Southeast Asia. 

Aside from Converge, other members of the SEA-H2X consortium are China Mobile International Limited (CMI), China United Network Communications Group Company Limited. (CU), AP SEA H2X Sdn. Bhd (AP SEA-H2X, previously known as IRIX SEA-H2X and PPTEL SEA-H2X), while HMN Technologies Ltd. has been engaged to build the cable system.

"As an important large-bandwidth submarine system in the region, SEA-H2X will further upgrade connectivity to Hong Kong SAR, Hainan SEZ and Southeast Asia countries, boosting unimpeded trade, communication, financial integration along the route," said Dr. Meng Shusen, Chairman and President, CU.

Converge and DICT Join Forces to Provide Ilocos and La Union Municipalities with Free Wi-Fi

Philippines’ leading fiber broadband provider, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (PSE:CNVRG), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) joined forces to bring free wifi to Ilocos Norte and Sur municipalities, as well as La Union municipalities. 

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s promise to provide digital connectivity across the country, DICT awarded Converge the contract to supply free Wi-Fi connectivity to 36 municipal sites in Ilocos Sur and Norte and 4 municipal sites in La Union. 

The DICT has been working tirelessly to guarantee that every Filipino in every barangay in the nation has access to affordable, fast, and reliable internet connectivity. The department has activated over 4,000 free Wi-Fi stations in 17 regions, 75 provinces, and the National Capital Region (NCR) under the Free WiFi for All Program. 

Engr. Reynaldo T. Sy, DICT Regional Office 1 Director, expressed his gratitude and optimism about the partnership with Converge ICT Solutions Inc.: “We are very thankful to Converge for their support and commitment to our Free Wi-Fi for All project: Provision of Internet Connectivity Services in Municipalities. This partnership will enable us to provide fast and reliable internet connectivity to all Local Government Units (LGU) in the provinces of Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Ilocos Norte Second District. We believe that this project will help us bridge the digital divide and empower our citizens to stay connected, access vital information, and participate in the digital economy.” 

Many Filipinos continue to lack access to internet connectivity and gadgets. According to the DICT's 2019 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS), conducted in collaboration with the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI),  48 percent of Filipinos consistently use the internet, while only 18 percent of homes have access to it. 

Converge has been at the forefront of the digital revolution in the Philippines, investing heavily in its digital infrastructure through the SEA-H2X Submarine Cable System and the trans-Pacific Bifrost Cable System to reach the unserved and underserved in the country. Both cable systems aim to provide consumers and businesses in the Philippines with network diversity in the coming years. 

Recently crowned the Broadband Telecom Company of the Year (Philippines) for the second time in a row by the prestigious Asian Telecom Awards, the ICT company has been aggressively collaborating with LGUs and various local and international enterprises to enable societal transformation and progress to promote digital democracy in the Philippines. 

“Converge has been hard at work fast-tracking the layout of our fiber optic cables across the country to reach geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). Internet use has been integral in our everyday lives as well as the economic growth of our country, and we remain committed to working hand in hand with the Philippine government to fiber-power each Filipino household and business,” said Converge Chief Operations Officer Jesus C. Romero. 

DICT and Converge sealed their alliance through a contract signing event at DICT’s Region 1 Office in Bauang, La Union. Present at the event are DICT Region 1 OIC Chief (Technical Operations Divisions) Mary Jane Nerona, DICT Head of the Procuring Entity, and DICT Region 1 Director Engr. Reynaldo T. Sy, Converge Enterprise Public Sector Unit Head Evangeline Aquino, and Converge Key Account Manager Jonathan Arenas. 

#ExperienceBetter with the Philippines’ leading fiber broadband provider, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. Visit convergeict.com for more details. 

Kultura Summer Selebrasyon Collection

 

Travel in comfort and style this summer with a Tropical Print polo (P599.00), Navy Blue Drawstring Pants,  All Weather – All Terrain Flip Flops (P799.00) and a three-piece leather bracelet set from Kultura

In our tropical shores, it’s summer all year round! But the months from March to May are really when nature likes to show off. Round up your friends, head out of town, and relish the rejuvenating powers of the sun and sky and sea. But first, head over to Kultura for everything you need to celebrate the getaway season in style.  

 

Elevated summer style from Kultura: For him, white linen guayabera (P1799), Fedora Hat (P249.75), semi-precious stone bracelets, and navy drawstring pants. For her, batik print top, raffia sling bag tied with a multi-way sarong, and a stack of semi precious stone bracelets.

SUMMER-WORTHY ‘FITS 

A leisurely trip deserves a wardrobe to match. Our Summer Selebrasyon collection is made of stylish resort wear in lightweight fabrics for blissful, sun-soaked days. With a mix of neutrals and vibrant tones, it’s the perfect palette for picture-worthy OOTDs against the most gorgeous backdrops across the Philippines. 

We traveled up north to the idyllic surf town of La Union to showcase our summer collection. For the ladies, we’ve got easy, breezy smocked dresses, chic co-ords, batik caftans, and cover-ups hand-embroidered by local artisans, for summer looks that are effortless yet elevated.  

For the gents, we’ve got guayabera tops, embroidered and ethnic-print polos, linen pants, and bright summer shorts that will take him from daytime adventures to midnight beach strolls seamlessly.  

 

All set for summer! Seated on the bench, Dani wears a multi-way sarong worn as bandeau (2 for P299), Itneg weave vest (P1999) and handmade seagrass crossbody bag with daisy and semi-precious stone choker. Carm opts for a  sleeveless dress with ethnic print (P699), turquoise and zebra print round earrings (P249), paper bead and crystal bracelet (P499), blue stone bracelet (P499.75) and multi-way sarong worn as a scarf (2 for P299).

To complete these looks, we’ve got a wide and wonderful selection of handwoven native bags, comfortable slides, hats, multi-way sarongs that come in sets of 2 fun colors, bamboo sunglasses, bright handmade accessories, and other tropical-inspired accents. The best thing about our Summer Selebrasyon collection? Everything is proudly Filipino-made, and versatile enough to wear throughout the rest of the year. 

GLAMPING ESSENTIALS 

Stay hydrated and on track throughout the day with these reusable, sustainable and eco-friendly bamboo and stainless steel cups, mugs and tumblers. All available at Kultura Green Finds section.

Make your getaways even more memorable by packing our summer lifestyle finds. From ocean-themed placemats and trays, eco-friendly mugs and bamboo tumblers, to banigs, hammocks and rattan hampers, these local picks bring a thoughtful, “aesthetic” touch to your road trips, beach picnics, and summer escapes. And they’re perfect to use back home, too, for year-round tropical vibes.  

It’s a Summer Selebrasyon with Kultura! From left to right, Carm is in a batik print top and blue multi-way sarong; Dani wears a printed tunic dress (P899), multi-way sarong worn as a belt (2 for P299) and fedora hat (P249.75), while Ruis sports an embroidered white polo (P699), beige drawstring shorts, and a freshwater pearl necklace.

From versatile resort wear to beach picnic essentials and handcrafted lifestyle accessories for your home away from home, Kultura has got you covered for a summer to remember.  

Images were taken at The Lark Inn and Casa Nakama, both located in La Union, Philippines. 

Get your summer essentials only at Kultura! Shop now at kulturafilipino.com or drop by the nearest Kultura store. You can also send us a message to order or inquire. Our personal shoppers will gladly assist you: 

Messenger: m.me/KulturaPH 

Call To Deliver: 09175174096 or 09676093407 

Viber: bit.ly/KulturaOnViber 

ZIN icon Dance Diva Regine Tolentino joins DANCE BY THE BEACH 2018 in LA UNION

Dance by the Beach Fitness Party La Union 2018 promises to be a go-to event this summer set on April 28, 2018 at Aureo Hotels & Resorts, San Fernando, La Union. 

“Zumba enthusiasts are in for a treat in this first Dance by the Beach Fitness Party,” states Reymond M. de Guzman, Creative Director of the Dance by the Beach Fitness Party organized by Happy Events by Deegee, Inc. “We’ve seen a tremendous rise everywhere of Zumba enthusiasts in schools, offices and even barangays. Why? Because more people wishes to be fit, fabulous and healthy through dancing.” 

De Guzman also highlighted that they want to provide beach lovers another activity that will surely keep them aligned with their fitness goals while enjoying the food and fun of summer. 

With over 1,000 Zumba lovers nationwide to participate on its one-day run, this country’s first dance by the beach fitness party event is gathering these enthusiasts from all walks of life to experience and dance with ZIN icon Dance Diva Regine Tolentino and ZIN leaders from La Union and nearby provinces. The experience is also highlighted by an exciting line-up of events such as music from international DJ and model Samir Ayeb, Olin (the mascot of Shaolin Oil liniment) meet-and-greet, special activities from our sponsors and many more which will start at 4PM. 

The Dance by the Beach Fitness Party is presented by Shaolin Oil Liniment of SR Foods Philippines. Interested participants may call at tel. nos.: 637-9084 / 562-8162 / 0922- 8760738 / 0998-5626602, email: 

happyeventsbydeegee@gmail.com. 

You can also download now the registration form through our official website at 

www.dancefitnessparty.ph or follow us on Faceboook (Dance Fitness Party Ph) Twitter (dancefitnesspartyph) and Instagram (dancefitnessph).