As The Philippines faces a deforestation crisis so severe it could be deforested by 2025, VisitorsCoverage, a global travel insurance marketplace, is compelled to aid reforestation efforts. The new initiative is an extension of their partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization that partners with businesses to plant trees all over the world.
Climate change is caused in major part by an overabundance of Carbon Dioxide. Trees are the single best way to reduce CO2 because they breathe it in and convert it to oxygen. Without trees, the Philippines will see a rise in deadly heat waves, floods and mudslides. The disappearance of trees has also been linked to soil erosion and contaminated water. 

The Philippines used to be home to 16 million hectares of virgin hardwood forests. This number has been reduced to only 700,000 hectares. Forestry experts predict that without intervention, the Philippines may be completely denuded by 2025.
While illegal logging and limited government oversight have created an environment where deforestation was inevitable, individuals and communities within the country are stepping up with grassroots reforestation projects and initiatives. But they need our help.

In what could be a wildlife wonderland teeming with water buffalo, peacocks, doves, and the most awe-inspiring flora and fauna Mother Nature has to offer, trees are disappearing, and species are being pushed to extinction.

The Human Toll

It’s not just wildlife being displaced. Many indigenous Filipino communities are also being uprooted. As deforestation continues, mudslides and other deadly effects bear down on the entire population of the Philippines, but no one will be more impacted than the indigenous communities whose livelihoods and way of life are completely entwined with nature. Deforestation has become a major socioeconomic issue in the country. Fortunately, more people and companies are stepping up to do their part.

VisitorsCoverage’s Promise to the Planet

VisitorsCoverage was founded on one simple goal: helping people. Whether we’re helping immigrants settle in America, retirees live out their travel dreams, or students explore and learn about their world, helping and doing good is at the forefront of everything we do. We partnered with One Tree Planted to continue this mission.

“The Philippines is currently facing a critical deforestation crisis, and the key to restoring and revitalizing forests and wetlands lies in the collective willingness to provide assistance,” says VisitorsCoverage CEO Rajeev Shrivastava.

A Shared Mission to Protect & Conserve

On the surface a company that sells travel insurance and an organization that plants trees don’t seem to have much in common. Dig a little deeper, however, and you find that both VisitorsCoverage and One Tree Planted are driven by a commitment to protect. One company aims to protect travelers, while the other aims to protect the world in which they travel. We are proud to continue our partnership to ensure that travelers and Mother Earth stay protected for generations to come. 

About One Tree Planted:

One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create an impact for nature, people, and wildlife. Reforestation helps to rebuild forests after fires and floods, provide jobs for social impact, and restore biodiversity. Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. To learn more, visit onetreeplanted.org