Insider snapshot:
At a ceremonial turnover held April 7 at the DENR central office in Quezon City, the Toyota Foundation donated a locally assembled long-wheelbase Toyota Tamaraw utility vehicle and P500,000 worth of gear and equipment for use by Bantay Tamaraw Rangers in Mindoro.
The handover was led by DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, Toyota Motor Philippines president Masando Hashimoto, and Toyota Foundation president Jose Maria Aligada.
The donations are part of the automaker’s commitments under a deal signed with DENR in December 2024, coinciding with the launch of the next-generation Toyota Tamaraw. The support aims to boost conservation efforts for the critically endangered tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), a species endemic to Mindoro.
The vehicle is intended for use in field patrols and operations by the conservation program and the 18 registered “Bantay Tamaraw” rangers, who are composed mainly of indigenous people and barangay volunteers. Toyota Foundation also turned over mountaineering gear and tools to improve safety and efficiency in field activities.
Hashimoto emphasized Toyota’s commitment to biodiversity protection, citing the global Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which includes creating a society in harmony with nature. He praised the rangers for their frontline conservation work, adding that “now, it is your turn to be protected too.”
The foundation has also pledged a P3-million conservation fund to finance habitat monitoring, equipment for the Tamaraw Research and Conservation Center, support for community volunteers, and educational campaigns.
The foundation of Toyota’s local arm, established 35 years ago, serves as the corporate social responsibility arm of Toyota Motor Philippines and focuses on initiatives in health, education, environment, and community service.
— Edited by Daxim L. Lucas
