The Binhi Mountain Bike Challenge participants during a rest stop at the Bangkalan rest stationMore than 30 mountain bike enthusiasts from the sites of Energy Development Corporation (EDC) took part in the 1st Binhi Mountain Bike Challenge held at La Mesa Nature Reserve in Quezon City.

This wellness undertaking aimed to raise the environmental awareness of EDC employees and, at the same time, promote biking as part of employee wellness.

Corporate Affairs Group head Ricky Carandang led the ceremonial turnover of 24 twoway radios to Bantay Kalikasan through head forester Dave Azurin. The radios would be utilized for the team’s forest patrol inside the compound.

Also present at the ceremony were Jimmy Villaroman, head of the Mount Apo Geothermal Business Unit and Negros Island Geothermal Business Unit, and Bantay Kalikasan foresters Mar Ramirez and Jojo Pascual.

After warming up, the bikers started pedaling their way towards the 20-kilometer trail of single tracks, dirt roads and fire roads. There were stops at the Bangkalan and Kawayanan rest stations.

Binhi aims to restore forest cover and biodiversity, provide livelihood to communities, mitigate climate change impact and sustain the geothermal recharge by planting 1,000 hectares every year for 10 years. It was launched in December 2008 and actual planting started in 2009.

As of 2015, EDC has planted 7,611 hectares in its project sites and frontier areas. Binhi is also EDC’s contribution to the government’s National Greening Program. (Story/Photo by: Gerbs De Castro)