First Gen Corporation CSR, in partnership with First Philippine Holdings Corporation’s (FPH) Wellness Wednesdays, took a break from the usual webinars and held “Zoom-tacular Race for Climate Action” (ZRCA).

Inspired by “The Amazing Race,” participants virtually visited the different areas where the company operates while incorporating the basics of climate change. The interactive virtual race also highlighted how First Gen and the Lopez Group’s initiatives help address climate change.

Five stations

ZRCA participants formed teams with two facilitators per breakout room. ZRCA had five stations and, in each station, teams had to accomplish climate change-related tasks and then show proof they had hurdled each challenge.

The first station was in Rockwell Business Center, where First Gen and other Lopez Group companies and foundations working on climate change are located.

The second station highlighted the role of energy in climate change and was situated in the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas City, which houses the company’s natural gas power plants.

The third station was in Lobo, Batangas where First Gen and other Lopez Group organizations such as ABSCBN Foundation Inc. (AFI), Energy Development Corporation (EDC), First Balfour and Lopez Group Foundation Inc. implement reef-to-ridge activities. The station focused on the marine and terrestrial impacts of climate change.

The fourth station was situated in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, where the BINHI program is implemented by First Gen Hydro Power Corporation in partnership with EDC and farmers’ associations. The station highlighted climate actions of the participants.

The final station was La Mesa Ecopark, which is maintained through the support of AFI and other organizations.

Impact on farmers

One of the tasks was a simulation of how climate change impacts the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk. Participants were asked to invest in either farming or fishing implements, then strategize how to use these implements to achieve the maximum income possible. After choosing investments, they were asked to choose from cards that indicated the climate change scenarios—1.5-degree, 2-degree or 4-degree scenarios—to be applied to their projected income. Teams that got a 4-degree Celsius increase in temperature saw a loss of income because of the irreversible damages to the environment.

One of the highlights of the race was in the fourth station, where participants got to share at least five pledges for climate action. Some of the commitments included prioritizing travel to local areas rather than riding airplanes, organizing tree-planting activities with family, riding public transport, reducing energy use and strictly saying no to single-use plastics.

Initial feedback from participants was very encouraging.

Volunteer facilitators Ayn Torres of OML Center and Elaine Tacubanza of First Gen both revealed their fun experience in guiding the participants along the race stations and seeing the competitiveness among the Kapamilya and their natural synergies and teamwork “while maintaining a genuine interest to learn about the different avenues of climate action,” Torres elaborated.

“The virtual race was fun and innovative, especially the race legs, because they refreshed me on the fast facts about FPH,” said Russell Mascardo of EDC, who was part of the winning team. His key takeaway is that “FPH is not just focused on keeping the business going but more on inclusivity and its relevance to the communities.”

“The race is amazing and exciting from start to finish. The roadblocks were not that easy, but as a team, we never gave up and ran our race as fast as we can,” shared Dan Dalilis of First Gen.

First Gen will plant mangroves in Lagadlarin Mangrove Forest, Lobo in the names of the top three teams with the fastest solving times. (Story/Photos by: Alyanna Chio)