“Tree planting is more than just a community gesture but also a practical investment on natural infrastructure that supports water systems”
GREAT DAY for Mother Earth as outstanding partners and supporters of the Annual Million Trees Challenge were honored during the recent Recognition and Awarding Ceremonies for 2024 in Quezon City themed ‘Growing Together: Honoring Commitment, Cultivating Hope.”
The ceremonies, mounted by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. coincided with the 2025 pledging session, held annually during which partners and stakeholders commit to plant x number of trees in critical watersheds.
Launched in 2017, the AMTC aims to rehabilitate watersheds essential to water supply in MWSS coverage areas.
MWSS Administrator Leonor Cleofas reported in her remarks that AMTC has been successful in meeting its goal of planting one million trees every year.
“For 2017-2024, total trees planted reached 10, 385,547 in 25,796.24 hectares. Last year alone, 1,983,542 seedlings were planted. This is more than the 2023 record of 1,429,115 seedlings planted,” Cleofas said, citing MTFI’s role as the non-government organization partner of MWSS to ensure the sustainability of AMTC’s success.
In my welcome remarks as MTFI Executive Director, I cited MTFI’s “steady growth in terms of partnerships and collaboration from institutional partners who fuel the foundation’s maintenance, operations and implementation of projects and activities to the growing number of partner stakeholders who plant and engage in meaningful activities at the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center.”
I also noted the growth of the AMTC over the last years that is “now becoming a nationwide movement for watershed protection, reforestation and sustainability.”
MTFI Chairman Emeritus Gen. Reynaldo V. Velasco (Ret.) remarked that from a bold dream of planting a million trees in 2017, AMTC has become a flourishing national movement that continues to grow.
“Together, we have proven that collaboration, collective action and commitment can transform our watersheds and protect the lifeblood of our communities,” he said. It was during General Velasco’s tenure as MWSS Administrator when the AMTC initiative was launched.”
Guest of honor was Acting DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla, represented by Engr. Gilbert Gonzales, DENR Assistant Secretary for Field Operations, Luzon and Visayas.
In his message, Lotilla said tree planting is more than just a community gesture but also a practical investment on natural infrastructure that supports water systems.
He also cited the need to continuously care for the planted trees to them to survive even as he congratulated the outstanding achievements of MWSS, MTFI and partners in the AMTC.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, represented by Ms. Kristine Lea S. Gaon, Division Chief of Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department Education.
Mayor Belmonte congratulated MWSS, the Million Trees Foundation and all partners for their commitment to watershed protection and environmental stewardship and spoke about the city’s plans to expand its existing urban green spaces and the city’s One Million Trees initiative which involves planting the right trees at the right places.
One the highlights of the event was the posthumous award for the late Agriculture Undersecretary Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano who was honored by MWSS and MTFI.
The award was accepted by Philippine Bamboo Development Industry Council Executive Director Butch Madarang. Last year, USec Savellano committed 500,000 trees to be planted nationwide in support of the AMTC.
In his speech Madarang spoke of Savellano’s “unwavering commitment and visionary leadership in environmental protection, particularly through the propagation and planting of bamboo.”
Also honored were outstanding partners and supporters of the Annual Million Trees Challenge.
Awardees in the Champion of Trees award, presented to companies and agencies who have successfully planted more than 20,000 trees, were Bulacan Bulk Water, MWSS-RO, World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines, General Nakar LGU, Sta. Clara International Corporation, DENR-NCR, DENR-III, DENR-4A, Laguna Lake Development Authority, San Miguel Corporation, MWSS Corporate Office, Manila Water Company, Inc., Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and CS First Green Agri Industrial Development, Inc.
Institutional partners who pursued the promotion of broader climate action, ecosystem protection, and community-based initiatives aside from planting trees were commended with the Kampeon ng Kalikasan award. They were handed plaques of recognition made of glass or wood. The wooden plaques were made in the Million Trees Foundation carpentry shop from repurposed wooden crates sourced from San Miguel Corporation.
Commended were San Miguel Corporation and its Chairman/CEO Ramon S. Ang; Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and its CEO Ramoncito Fernandez; Manila Water Company, Inc.and its CEO Jose Victor Emmanuel De Dios; Sta. Clara International Corporation and its Chairman and Managing Director Nicandro Linao; QBE Group Shared Services Centre and its SVP for Finance Arthur Araña; and, Grundfos Philippines and its IS Director & Country Director Josephine de la Cerna.
Another category is the Kaagapay ng MTFI recognizing the invaluable support and contributions of partners to the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center to fully realize its potential as a nursery and eco learning center.
We have come a long way not just in planting a million trees annually but also in celebrating together our shared accomplishments for Mother Earth. Here’s to growing together with renewed commitment so that the next generations may inherit a healthier, safer and more sustainable environment.
(The author is publisher, president/chief executive officer of Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. and president/executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-government outfit advocating tree-planting and environmental protection.)