PLDT and Smart join Huawei and government partners to protect rainforests

The RFCx Guardian uses a combination of bioacoustics, cloud, wireless connectivity, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to protect rainforests and help enforce environmental laws.

PLDT Inc. and its subsidiary Smart Communications, together with Huawei Technologies Phils. Inc., partners with government agencies to use Rainforest Connection (RFCx) technology for forest conservation and environmental enforcement in the Philippines.

The partnership was established with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to implement the technology of Rainforest Connection (RFCx), a non-profit organization based in the United States.

Forests are recognized as crucial in the fight against climate change, as they act as natural shields against its effects. They act as carbon sinks, purifying the air we breathe and the water we drink while providing crucial protection against erosion, landslides and floods.

They are also home to diverse flora and fauna, which contributes to biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance.

Voltaire delos Angeles, Quick Response Team leader at the Palawan Community Environment and Natural Resource Office (CENRO) and Forest Technician I in Taytay, emphasized the need to conserve forests for their ecological value.

“Unfortunately, over the years we have seen continued destruction of our forests due to brutal logging and deforestation activities. And one of the many critical locations that need protection from these illegal activities is Palawan, as it is the only province in the country that has retained more than 50% of its original forest cover and is recognized as our last frontier in biodiversity ” said Delos Angeles. .

A shared goal to address these issues and protect Philippine forests led to a partnership between PLDT, Smart, Huawei, DENR, DICT and RFCx.

As part of this first initiative, RFCx “Guardians,” specialized bioacoustic monitoring equipment, will be installed in the protected forest areas of Taytay, Palawan. These Guardians are equipped to detect various sounds in the forest environment, such as those from illegal logging activities and gunfire.

Powered by solar energy, RFCx Guardians are installed high in the tree canopy and are equipped with the capacity to pick up sounds within a 3 kilometer radius. The collected data is sent to the cloud via wireless technology for analysis using artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, which can identify possible illegal activities.

With the RCFx Guardians and through a connected platform called “Arbimon,” forest rangers can monitor a larger area more efficiently, which would otherwise be virtually impossible on foot given the size of the forest. With access to analyzed data from the Guardians, the rangers have access to improved threat intelligence, allowing them to target specific areas and help facilitate corresponding actions to stop illegal activities in protected forests.

RFCx Guardian devices were previously installed in selected forest areas of Palawan in 2020, which contributed to the increase in arrests and decrease in cases of illegal activities. In partnership with the DENR and the DICT, PLDT, Smart and Huawei plan to expand the deployment of these devices in Palawan and other protected forest areas in the country.

“PLDT and Smart recognize the critical role of our forests in combating climate change, protecting our communities from disasters and enabling us to stay in business for the long term. Together with our social outreach arm, the PLDT-Smart Foundation, we are proud to be part of this project that uses communications technology to support and strengthen critical efforts to conserve and protect the country’s forests. We are fortunate to have found like-minded partners in Huawei, the DICT and the DENR who share our commitment to helping protect the planet for the next generation,” said Melissa Vergel de Dios, PLDT and Smart Chief Sustainability Officer.

“In line with Huawei’s digital initiative and action plan TECH4ALL, this project supports our efforts to innovate solutions, leverage technology and collaborate with partners to mitigate the impacts of climate change and be stewards of the planet for the next generation,” said Huawei SR PR Manager Karrie Buenafe.

PLDT and Smart continuously leverage their industry and technology leadership to engage diverse stakeholders from industry, government and civil society in biodiversity conservation and anti-deforestation initiatives. In addition to this project, PLDT and Smart have been working on biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions focusing on mangroves, peatlands and seagrasses.

The telecom companies also consider climate change to be one of their biggest business risks and are therefore anchoring climate and nature in their network design, operational strategy and customer solutions. As proponents of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, PLDT and Smart align with global standards in reporting climate risk management and environmental protection efforts.

These initiatives are intended to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically UN SDGs 13 on Climate Action, 14 on Life on Land and 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.