Tree Planting in the Philippines

Last July, I learned from an article that there’s an existing law which requires each able-bodied Filipino to plant one tree every year starting at age 12. It’s the first time I’ve heard of it and that means I owe the country a lot of trees!

After reading it, I googled about tree planting activities that I may be able to participate in and saw two possible options – Haribon Foundation and Masungi Georeserve.

Haribon Foundation

Tree planting activities are held between June and November of each year because planting during the rainy season increases the newly-planted seedlings’ survival rate. Adoption of at least one (1) seedling will entitle you to a tree planting volunteer slot. Coordination with Haribon Foundation is necessary prior to paying the volunteer fee in order to verify slot availability.

Each seedling donation/adoption means that Haribon will plant a Philippine native tree under your name and nurture it for three years. You have the option to just adopt or adopt-and-plant. Haribon also offers a Nurture Card which allows individuals to support a tree after its third year (ie., once the adopt-a-seedling coverage is done). Nurture card costs Php 100 per seedling per year.

Below are Haribon Foundation’s seedling adoption programs:

Aside from the ones in the table, Haribon Foundation also offers Adopt-a-Hectare (1,250 seedlings) and Adopt-a-Forest (2 hectares). The cost of these two were not provided in the adoption page.

Here are details for tree-planting volunteers:

To learn more about its activities, visit Haribon Foundation’s page.

Masungi Georeserve

Masungi Georeserve recently started to offer the Legacy Trail to guests. This activity includes tree planting with an introductory price of Php 1,000 per person. A group consisting of 7-14 guests (min 7 / max 14) can book the trail.

This is the general description provided in Masungi Georeserve’s Legacy Trail page:

“The legacy trail is an immersion in the greater Masungi Geopark Project where restoration efforts are currently on-going. Guests will be able to directly participate in bringing life back in the abused land and care for the area.  Firsthand experiences in tree planting and tree nurturing are to be anticipated.  Well-deserved minalot meals will be served afterwards.  Trail guests will also be able to  interact and rest among the last few remaining pine tree stands in the project area. The experience lasts for three 3-4 hours. A park ranger will be guiding guests through the area and the activities.”

Tree Planting Summary

Here are side by side details on planting activities offered by Masungi Georeserve and Haribon Foundation.

Aside from the two aforementioned entities, tree planting events may be organized by other groups. I wrote about Masungi and Haribon because these two have regular schedules and detailed websites.

Philippines’ Arbor Day Act of 2012

Apparently,  per Republic Act No. 10176, Arbor Day or Tree Planting Day should be declared by “all provinces, cities and municipalities with their component barangays.” I have never heard of arbor day from my previous nor current place of residence. If you live in the Philippines, have you heard of such event from your local government unit?

Below is a snippet of RA 10176 from The LawPhil Project. Check-out this link to read its entirety.

Republic of the Philippines
CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-fifth day of July, two thousand eleven.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10176

AN ACT REVIVING THE OBSERVANCE OF ARBOR DAY BY AUTHORIZING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CELEBRATING THE DAY FOR TREE PLANTING AS AN ANNUAL EVENT

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 4. Proclamation of Arbor Day. – All provinces, cities and municipalities with their component barangays shall be required to declare an Arbor Day or Tree Planting Day, by appropriate proclamation of their respective local chief executive through an ordinance passed by the respective local sanggunian, at a fixed date every calendar year as shall be deemed conducive to the proper tune and season for planting trees in the respective localities. Although adoption of uniform dates for its celebration shall be encouraged, varying dates may be allowed in order to afford flexibility in the planning and implementing of the programs for tree planting: Provided, That the Arbor Day designated shall be declared as a public working holiday in order to ensure the participation of the different sectors of society and such declaration may be embodied in the proclamation that local chief executives are authorized to do under this Act.

Section 8. Planting of Trees. – All able-bodied citizens of the Philippines, who are at least twelve (12) years of age, shall be required to plant one (1) tree every year.