Some 1,000 saplings were planted at the La Mesa Reservoir by volunteers of various organizations including Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc. (CMPI), Philippine Information Agency NCR, Department of Environment and Natural Resources NCR, LBC Foundation, La Consolacion College Manila, Armed Forces of the Philippines, JCI San Pedro Portal Key, Adamson University, and Presidential Communications Operations Office.
Spearheaded by Pilipinas Natin!, “Happy Birthday Tree” challenges Filipinos to plant one tree for every year of their life. The project aims to raise awareness about the plight of the environment and engage citizens to take a more active part in protecting our resources.
On average, a person consumes one tree a year. This comes from each person’s daily consumption of stationary, hygiene, housing, and other products. With the Philippines’ population hitting the 100,000,000 mark recently and the 1.89% annual growth rate, the issue of environmental conservation is an increasingly pressing problem.
Pilipinas Natin! champions the campaign with the slogan, “Nagbabago na ang panahon; panahon na magbago.” “It’s amazing.” Philippine Information Agency Director General Mari Oquiñena exclaims. “Seeing all these people—young people–come together to plant trees moves my heart. It shows that Filipinos do care; they just need an avenue to channel their efforts and this could be one of them. We’re happy to see the enthusiasm companies and institutions have expressed to join Happy Birthday Tree.
“Of course, the power of media and the virality of the idea will be instrumental in the project’s success. I look forward to seeing people participate in the project in their own backyards and gardens and inviting their friends and family to pitch in.” adds Oquiñena.
“Canon believes in the power of working together for a great cause,” said manager of Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc. (CMPI) Corporate Communications, Ernalou Del Rosario, “and with this we are constantly encouraging our employees and stakeholders alike to continue their active participation in projects such as the Happy Birthday Tree,”
CMPI has been actively participating in environmental awareness and conservation. Called GreenNation, this branch of CMPI’s corporate social responsibility projects covers a wide spectrum in preserving and protecting the environment, promoting activities such as recycling, photography contests, mall road shows, and tree planting activities.