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The companies are deepening their partnership with the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation Inc. to protect blue carbon ecosystems such as seagrass beds and mangrove forests, which capture and store carbon while helping shield coastal communities and infrastructure from storm surges and flooding.
Conservation efforts
PLDT operates the country's largest number of cable landing stations as part of its nationwide fixed and wireless infrastructure. The expanded program seeks to help personnel involved in network rollout and marine cable deployment better understand biodiversity risks and apply conservation measures.
The initiative builds on earlier research by PLDT, Smart, MERF and the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, which assessed conservation efforts and estimated carbon stocks across 17 marine protected areas nationwide.
Next phase
The next phase will initially focus on Calatagan, Batangas, where about 109 hectares of seagrass beds are estimated to hold roughly 17,845 tons of carbon, equivalent to the annual emissions of around 4,000 passenger vehicles.
“As we continue to connect the Philippines with our network infrastructure, we remain committed to taking care of the environment and the communities that live in the areas where we operate,” PLDT and Smart chief sustainability officer Melissa Vergel de Dios said in a press statement.
“This project demonstrates our Biodiversity Policy in action, enabling us to integrate protection measures and minimize potential environmental damage by our business operations and value chain activities. This is also a deliberate push to translate science into action, particularly for coastal communities on the frontlines of climate impacts,” she said.
‘Two distinct strengths’
PLDT and Smart enacted biodiversity conservation policies in 2025, including commitments to “No Net Deforestation” and “No Net Loss in Forest Cover” during infrastructure development and operations.
“This is not just about putting pen to paper. It’s about bringing two distinct strengths together to achieve something greater and establish a framework to collaborate, to co-generate, adapt, and succeed together in protecting our marine resources,” MERF chair Dr. Hildie Maria E. Nacorda said.
The partnership ultimately aims to turn scientific research into practical conservation measures while supporting the continued expansion of the digital infrastructure connecting the Philippines. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
