#CulturePH - Grab Philippines Celebrates Earth Day 2025 with Mangrove Planting Project in La Union
In celebration of Earth Day 2025, Grab Philippines has planted the first 1,000 of 80,000 pledged mangrove trees in Dulao, La Union. This initiative marks an early milestone in Grab’s newly launched Green Programme, which aims to embed environmental sustainability into the country’s ride-hailing and on-demand delivery industries.
The Green Programme, launched in February 2025, empowers users to play an active role in environmental stewardship through technology. By enabling the Green Program toggle on the Grab App, users 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 of the Green Programme is the GrabForGood Forest in Dulao, La Union—a planned five-hectare mangrove enrichment site set to nurture thousands of mangrove seedlings. This initiative is a collaboration between Grab, the Dulao Fishpond and Fishpen Producer’s Cooperative, the sustainability NGO Fostering Education and Environment for Development (FEED), and the environmental tech platform EcoMatcher.
La Union's coastal village of Dulao faces escalating water and food security threats driven by climate change, including rising sea levels and intensifying typhoons. Mangrove enrichment has become a pivotal strategy to fortify natural defenses. This initiative is part 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. Mangrove forests are crucial habitats for marine biodiversity and enhance the livelihoods of Dulao’s fishing community.
The project kicked off with a community mangrove-planting event led by volunteer Grab users, driver-partners, employees, representatives from partner organizations, and the local community. FEED and the Dulao Fishpond and Fishpen Cooperative facilitated the orientation, providing a comprehensive introduction to 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, expressed gratitude for the project, emphasizing its importance for environmental protection and livelihood.
“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, Grab Philippines 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.
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