“In March 2022 MTFI was granted its certificate of incorporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission”
The Million Trees Foundation, Inc. marked its founding anniversary on March 18, which coincided with the birthday of former President Fidel Valdez Ramos in whose honor the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center at the La Mesa Watershed was set up.
It’s unfortunate he is no longer with us during these challenging times when we are at the crossroads of a divided nation.
If he were still alive, FVR would be steadfast in admonishing every Filipino and leaders both in government and the private sector to embrace UST – Unity, Solidarity and Teamwork.
In the book “Our Continuing Voyage: 15 Years of RPDEV, FVR wrote: “When each of us come together in UST. – with one goal in mind and heart driven by the same commitment – we all become a strong and mighty hand, able to make real for ourselves a quality of life we need for in an environment of enduring peace and sustainable development.”
In March 2022 MTFI was granted its certificate of incorporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Inspired by the success of the Annual Million Tree Challenge, a watershed rehabilitation program launched by then Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Gen Reynaldo V. Velasco (ret), MTFI was founded to ensure AMTC’s continuity.
MTFI is the recognized non-government partner of MWSS in its efforts to reforest watersheds in the water supply of its coverage areas and granted MTFI use of 5 hectares of the La Mesa watershed reservation.
The area is now a bustling hub for environment lovers, where stands the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center, the site of a multipurpose center wholly funded by conglomerate San Miguel Corp. Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang and branded as SMC Multipurpose Center.
Known as Eddie’s Barn in honor of FVR, an ardent environmentalist in his lifetime who left a legacy of four “Ms” to the Filipinos: Maka Diyos, Maka Bayan, Maka Tao and Makalikasan.
San Miguel Corp. is MTFI’s major partner, along with Maynilad Water Services, Manila Water Company, and Sta. Clara International Corporation.
MTFI also forged more stakeholder partnerships that include QBE, Grundfos Foundation, Nestlé Philippines,.
MTFI works closely with MWSS, the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources and local government units where beneficiary watersheds are.
Last year, MTFI boosted its collaboration with government and partnered with the Dept. of Agriculture through the Bureau of Plant Industry to promote the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management which provided the Foundation with a composting machine, integral in our operations relative to organic fertilizer production.
Another upcoming project is the setting up of the Indoor Cultivation System through DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry, expected to operationalize in June.
A modern hydroponics system that promotes urban agriculture with the propagation of high value crops, this will complement our overall conceptual and operational framework as an Eco Learning Center for sustainability and environmental protection.
MTFI manifested its willingness to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to support a greener Quezon City through the One Million Trees Project of the LGU after MTFI Chairman Emeritus Gen Velasco and I met with Belmonte in Sept. 2024.
To date, it has over 100 partner stakeholders. Last year, 73 groups and organizations undertook tree planting activities, while 10 groups had 12,273 saplings re-bagged.
The MTFI envisions growing 15 million more trees by 2030. Our stakeholder partners have committed to plant 2.7 million trees this year in our beneficiary watersheds luike La Mesa, Ipo, Angat, Upper Marikina, Laguna Lake, Kaliwa and other areas.
Despite being a young organization, our efforts at environment protection have been commended.
In 2012 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21 the International Day of Forests, which has a major role i n agriculture, to raise awareness on the importance of forests.
This weekend. World Water Day will be observed, occurring simultaneously with Earth Hour, a worldwide movement organized by Worldwide Fund for Nature which encourages individuals, communities and other organizations to give an hour from 8:30 pm by switching off non-essential electric lights.
(MTV, book author and publisher, is 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.)