Volunteers Show Overwhelming Support for Nurture the Marikina Watershed 3
Sign-up window closed for 2012

“The public response to our call for volunteers for the tree-planting phase of Nurture the Marikina Watershed! (NMW3) has been overwhelming and heartwarming,” declared Rapa Lopa, president of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF). “That’s the good news. The sad news is that we have to close the window for new volunteer sign-ups this year.”

Organized by NCAF as part of its iamninoy-iamcory Movement, in partnership with the Community Action for Reforestation (CAREFOR), Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment, Enterprise (FPE3) and the Ayala Malls, NMW 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%.  The sorry state of the Marikina watershed is said to have been a major factor that exacerbated the devastating impact of Typhoon Ondoy in September 2009.

NMW 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.  

NMW was launched last February 25, 2012 at Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution and was followed up by a second run last May 6.  About 300 volunteers engaged in various tree nursery activities such as potting, pruning, and preparing the incubation chambers for a total of 20,000 native wildings.

For NMW3, the incubated wildings will be planted at designated sites within the Marikina watershed on August 18. Volunteers for a second NMW tree-planting run, previously planned for November, have been folded into NMW3.

Volunteers who signed up last November-December in various Ayala Malls as part of Project Inspire will be joined by contingents from Airlift Asia, Ateneo de Manila University, Mitsuba Philippines Technical Center Corporation., De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City, and Don Antonio De Zuzuarregui, Sr. Memorial Academy. Several graduates of the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Leadership Journey have volunteered as team leaders during the event.

NMW3 is a whole-day activity that will begin at 5am on August 18 with volunteer registration at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. Only registered volunteers will be allowed to join. Transportation to and from the event site in Barangay Calawis, Antipolo, Rizal, as well as food and drinks for all volunteers, will be provided.

“We would like to thank all those who signed up for NMW3, as well as those who tried to sign up these past few days,” Rapa said. “It only goes to show that the spirit of selflessness is very much alive in today’s generation of Filipinos.

“We’re sorry that we could not accommodate everyone,” he added. “We had to limit the number of volunteers so as not to cause a major disruption in the community and the ecosystem in one day. Rest assured that we will continue to seek out partners who can help open fresh avenues by which to surface the new breed of heroism among our people.”

 NMW3 is also made possible by the generous support of Lafarge Cement Services Philippines, Inc., My Philippines Lifestyle, Appeton Weight Gain, and RFM Corporation.

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.