AFTER getting commitments for 9 million trees as of end-2024, the Million Trees Foundation Inc. (MTFI) is expanding beyond the seven critical watersheds in and near Metro Manila to include riverbanks and other areas.
MTFI said it aims to plant and grow 15 million trees by 2030 in seven critical watershed areas and beyond.
MTFI president and executive-director Melandrew Velasco said the foundation’s 31 partners pledged to plant over 2.7 million trees across the country in 2024 to protect major watersheds.
“This brings to more than 9 million trees the total commitments we received since we started this initiative in 2017,” Velasco said after signing a memorandum of agreement with QBE Group Shared Services Center for another year of partnership.
“We have received commitments for 9 million trees from different partners and counting, and we are on track to planting 15 million trees by 2030,” said Velasco.
Velasco said 2024 has been a significant year for MTFI, marked by major projects such as the completion of the QBE SanQtuary Park and Nursery, a composting facility from Senator Cynthia Villar and the Bureau of Soil Management, the rebagging of 12,000 saplings and the planting of over 25,000 tree saplings within the La Mesa watershed in collaboration with more than 80 organizations.
He said MTFI is also working with the Bureau of Plant Industry on an indoor cultivation system and modern hydroponics to promote urban agriculture through the propagation of high-value crops.
MTFI has received 2.7 million tree planting pledges from partner stakeholders and established an indoor cultivation system and a functional carpentry workshop utilizing logs donated and confiscated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Velasco acknowledged major partners in the tree-growing program, including San Miguel Corp., led by chairman Ramon Ang, for its annual institutional support, reforestation and Malasakit River dredging project, as well as water concessionaires Manila Water Company and Maynilad Water Services.
Ang funded the construction of a multipurpose center in the area. Other key partners include QBE, Sta. Ana International Corp., Grundfos Foundation and Nestlé Philippines.
MTFI also works closely with MWSS, the DENR and local government units in the watershed areas.
The Million Tree Foundation evolved from the Annual Million Tree Challenge, launched on Feb. 18, 2017, by former MWSS administrator Reynaldo Velasco. It received its certificate of incorporation from the Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2022.
Initially focused on critical watersheds such as Angat, Ipo, Kaliwa, La Mesa, Laguna Lake, Umiray and Upper Marikina, the foundation is now expanding its efforts to other areas nationwide, including riverbanks where it plans to grow bamboos.