In celebration of the 52nd founding anniversary  of Bicol University (BU), EDC and the BU College  of Science established an arboretum inside the  campus. This sought to preserve and mainstream  Philippine native tree species. In collaboration  with its partners, EDC planted over six million  seedlings under the BINHI program throughout the  country. The Bicol University Arboretum is the 22nd  BINHI arboretum in the country to help enhance  biodiversity for years to come.  

Over 100 seedlings, comprising the 32 premium  tree Philippine species, were planted. This aimed  to grow “mother trees” for native tree species close  to extinction. Most of these species were uniquely  found in the Bicol region as well. The rescue,  conservation, and propagation of these native trees  are prioritized over exotic ones, as these are more  typhoon-resilient and favorable to the local climate.