Through GCash Forest, GCash users can plant virtual trees with real real-life counterparts 

GCash Forest is a new feature of the GCash mobile wallet app that lets users plant virtual trees that will have real-life counterparts. To plant virtual trees via GCash Forest, GCash users need to keep using the app to earn “green energy”. Earn enough green energy and you can choose which species of trees you want planted in a select area at the Ipo Watershed. When the real trees are planted, you get a certificate of ownership and a serial number, plus fun facts and updates on the growth of your trees through the GCash app.

The GCash Forest project aims to plant 365 thousand trees in 365 days.

For this endeavor, GCash has partnered with the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR), the World Wildlife Fund, and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN).

We’re loosing trees – the bigger picture

According to the DENR’s Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the country is losing 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year, and that the 1.2 million hectares of forest lands must be rehabilitated by 2022 to prevent landslides, ensure water availability, and preserve biodiversity. Meanwhile, the Global Peace Index 2019 identifies the Philippines as the country most susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change.

Getting smartphone-addicted millennials to plant trees

“Many Filipinos, especially the younger ones, care about the environment but a lot of them don’t know how they can actively take part in environment protection. This is a barrier that GCash Forest addresses because they only need to use their smartphones – an already integral part of their daily lives – to make a difference,” said Mynt CEO Anthony Thomas.

GCash Forest is patterned on Alipay Ant Forest, which is operated by Ant Financial, an Alibaba affiliate and is the parent company of Alipay (the world’s leading payments and lifestyle platform). Through Alipay Ant Forest, more than 500 million users have “planted” 100 million trees.

GCash partners who will do their part

The DENR will provide needed land resources at Ipo Watershed, a vital part of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo watersheds that supply 98 percent of Metro Manila’s water. The WWF will provide trees and manpower. BIOFIN will handle the monitoring.

You can find out more information on GCash Forest on their website and Facebook page. You can download the GCash app for FREE on for IOS and for Android mobile devices.