Volunteers Gather Anew to Nurture the Marikina Watershed

Last May 5, 2012, 149 volunteers gathered at Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo, Rizal for the second run of the highly successful tree nursery and planting program, “Nurture the Marikina Watershed”.

Organized by the iamninoy-iamcory Movement, together with the Community Action for Reforestation (CAREFOR), Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment, Enterprise (FPE3) and the Ayala Malls, the project is part of a massive multi-sector effort to increase forest cover of the Marikina watershed from the current 20% to a minimum sustainable level of 54%. This entails harnessing a new form of people power to build enough nurseries that would produce some 6.7 million seedlings for replanting in the area. The project invites the youth to take part in this noble endeavor.  

“Nurture the Marikina Watershed!” was launched last February 25, 2012 at Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo to commemorate the 26^th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

The volunteers engaged in potting, pruning, and preparing the incubation chambers for some 20,000 native wildings to be used during tree planting season.

Volunteers who signed up last November-December in various Ayala Malls as part of Project Inspire were joined by contingents from Lafarge Cement Services Phils., Inc. and the People Power Volunteers for Reform-Marikina (PPVR-Marikina) for the tree nursery build. Several graduates of the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Leadership Journey volunteered as team leaders during the event.

“It is truly humbling to see these modern-day heroes brave the summer heat to help rebuild our environment,” said Rafael C. Lopa, President and Executive Director of the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF). “It is this spirit of selflessness and heroism that gives us all hope for a better and brighter future.”

In September 2009, Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) ravaged Metro Manila, leaving behind approximately 500 dead and 38 missing. The destructive floods that submerged many parts of the capital region stirred massive concern for the dire state of the Marikina watershed.

The 20,000 cultivated seedlings from the tree nursery build will be sowed during the planting season (June-October 2012), during which volunteers will again be mobilized.

“Nurture the Marikina Watershed!” is also made possible by the generous support of Lafarge Cement Services (Philippines), Inc., RFM Corporation, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc., and Yeo’s Juice Drink.

Project Proponents

Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF)
Through its youth program, the iamninoy-iamcory Movement, NCAF seeks to form a new breed of Filipino heroes who will live out the spirit of sacrifice and love for country, as embodied by Ninoy and Cory Aquino.

Ayala Malls
The biggest chain of world-class shopping malls in the country takes a stand to make a difference and pushes the hero in their customers through a series of initiatives that inspire and uplift people’s hearts.

Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment, Enterprise (FPE3)

FPE3 is a non-profit organization created by the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (www.fpe.ph). FPE3 is one of the collaborating partners in the Marikina watershed initiative. FPE3 is specifically engaged in the rehabilitation and restoration of the Marikina watershed, particularly in the Boso-Boso and Tayabasan sub-watershed areas.

Community Action for Reforestation (CAREFOR)
CAREFOR is a community of volunteers replanting forests. It is a reforestation volunteer program that connects with indigenous and local communities to plant trees in their ancestral domain and community-designated reforestation areas. CAREFOR also partners with other organizations to mobilize more volunteers in order to plant more trees and build seedling nurseries.