“Whether in the cool forests of Denmark or the sunlit trails of La Mesa, the message is the same: the future belongs to those willing to plant it”
WHEN I visited Denmark last April, spring had just begun to paint the Scandinavian landscape in soft greens.
At Grundfos’ headquarters in Bjerringbro, I walked through corridors lined not just with technology and innovation, but with a palpable commitment to sustainability.
I was properly briefed by Poul Due Jensen Foundation officer Jesper Richter Rasmussen, Grundfos Lead Community Engagement Specialist.
There, in the land of windmills and waterways, I also met with counterparts from the Tree Growing Network — an inspiring group as passionate as we are in the Million Trees Foundation about restoring nature one tree at a time.
They are also grant recipients and local partner of Poul Due Jensen Foundation.
We exchanged ideas, stories, and strategies. I shared how our work in the Philippines is not just about planting saplings, but about protecting watersheds, nurturing biodiversity, and ensuring future generations have access to clean water. They spoke about the challenges and triumphs of reforestation in the Nordic climate.
The connection was instant — proof that environmental stewardship knows no borders.
Fast forward to Aug. 18, 2025. Under the tropical sun at the La Mesa Watershed in Quezon City, we unveiled the “Million Trees Circle of Life” in honor of the Poul Due Jensen Foundation, Grundfos Philippines, and volunteer group 9150Cares.
This was no ordinary ceremony — it was the culmination of months of conversations, shared visions, and concrete commitments.
Present were Josephine de la Cerna, Grundfos Country Director, whose leadership has been instrumental in deepening the company’s environmental partnerships in the Philippines, Virgilio Bate, IS Director, IS&O, and Bobby Fraga, IS Manager for SAP Application Support at Grundfos, were joined by 9150 Cares representatives.
Their presence underscored that this partnership is built not only on corporate values but also on personal dedication to a greener future.
Gen. Reynaldo Velasco (retired), founder of the MWSS’ Annual Million Trees Challenge (AMTC) and MTFi Chairman Emeritus, thanked Grundfos for its continued support and commitment to the Million Trees Foundation over the last three years.
I was delighted to have my better half Tess Velasco and my daughter Me-Anne who were present in the momentous event. Last April, we planted together beech trees in Viborg with Tree Growing Network officials.
The Grundfos generous €30,000 (₱1.8 million) three-year grant provided the funding of the Circle of Life, the planting, nurturing and care of thousands of native trees in the La Mesa Watershed — Metro Manila’s main water source and a critical ecological shield against flooding and climate impacts.
The Circle of Life is more than just a landmark in a garden. As the inscription at the site beautifully puts it, “It is a symbol of the intricate relationship between trees and the ecosystem they support.” Trees are not mere ornaments; they are pillars of the natural world — “providing shelter and food for countless creatures, purifying the air we breathe, and regulating the climate.”
This vision reminds us of the interconnectivity of all living things and our responsibility to protect and preserve the natural world.
As the marker further declares, “Their support has brought this vision to life, inspiring communities to plant and nurture trees for a greener future.”
The Million Trees Foundation, Inc. was established to sustain the Annual Million Trees Challenge, a flagship initiative by MWSS launched in 2017 that has so far led to the planting of more than 10 million trees over the last eight years in key watersheds like Angat, Ipo, La Mesa, Upper Marikina, Umiray, Laguna Lake, and Kaliwa.
These watersheds are vital for supplying water to Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, mitigating floods, and preserving biodiversity.
The La Mesa Watershed, often overlooked in the daily rush of city life, is a “silent guardian.”
Covering about 2,700 hectares, it is the last remaining forest of its size in the metropolis. It filters our drinking water, shields us from floods, and serves as a refuge for countless plant and animal species.
Every tree planted here strengthens the capital’s resilience against climate change and rapid urbanization.
Every tree we plant here is an investment in the health of our cities and the resilience of our communities.
This Grundfos grant, therefore, is more than financial support; it is a living bridge between Denmark and the Philippines, between innovation and grassroots action, between corporate leadership and community engagement. It symbolizes what I saw in Denmark — that when organizations across continents work together, the impact is magnified.
In Copenhagen, I learned a Danish phrase from one of my Tree Growing Network counterparts: “Mange bække små gør en stor å.” It means: “Many small streams make a big river.”
In the same way, every sapling, every volunteer, and every act of generosity contributes to the mighty flow of environmental renewal.
Today, whether in the cool forests of Denmark or the sunlit trails of La Mesa, the message is the same: the future belongs to those willing to plant it.
(The author, 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, is the official biographer of President Fidel V. Ramos.)
