PTT Philippines fulfills mission to plant 30,000 trees in Bataan

MORONG, Bataan – PTT Philippines on Saturday completed its mission of planting 30,000 trees in the denuded portion of the Bataan Natural Park in the Aeta village of Kanawan in Morong, Bataan under its “Gas Up for a Tree” reforestation project.

Sukanya Seriyothin, PTT Philippines president and Chief Executive officer, and Sec. Nereus Acosta, presidential adviser for environmental protection, planted the 300,000th tree. Environmentalist Felicito Payumo, former chair of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, reigning Miss Earth Jamie Herrel and Miss Earth Philippines Anjella Ong with more than 400 volunteers joined in the final leg of the tree-planting. “Thank you to the Magbukun Tribe for being part of their life to improve the community,” Seriyothin said.

PTT Philippines partnered with the Aeta Magbukun Tribe, whose members were given livelihood by acting as caretakers of the plantation site, in reforesting 50 hectares of the bald forest. “This is to fulfill our commitment to plant 30,000 trees in the Bataan mountain to follow the footsteps of PTT Thailand that has planted trees in 160,000 hectares and will be planting in 150,000 hectares more in our country,” Seriyothin said.

Acosta has good words for the project. “Hindi lang ito tree-planting but tree-growing. Bukod sa planting, binabalik-balikan until the trees survive and become viable (This is not only tree-planting but tree-growing. Aside from planting, the trees are cared for until it survive and become viable),” the secretary said.

He lauded the good relationship of PTT and Magbukon Tribe. “We encourage more Private-Public_Partnership not only in infrastructure projects but in environment. Once the community is involved, the project is closely watched and successful),” Acosta said.

Payumo, also former Bataan congressman, has joined the tree planting since 2013 when PTT launched the project. “Hindi nasayang pagtatanim, hindi gaya ng iba na bahala ka na irog. Pagkatapos magtanim, picture-taking, wala na. Ito inaalagaan, dinidilig, hinahawan,” he said.The former BCDA chair said the lower portions of the mountain were planted with tree orchards and the high part with forest trees or dipterocarp.

He said the Aeta natives will benefit in the form of livelihood once thousands of fruit trees bear fruits. “Habang pinalalaki forest trees, nakikinabang sa fruit trees (While waiting for forest trees to grow, natives benefit from the fruit trees),” he said. “Sa proyektong ito naipakita na ang napapanot na bundok, pwede palang ibalik sa dating forest.

This can be replicated in other parts of the country dahil maganda halimbawang ipinakita ng PTT (It is shown in this project that bald mountains can return to the former forested area. This can be replicated in other parts of the country because PTT set a good example),” Payumo said.

Joseph Abraham, PTT Aeta supervisor, said the fruit trees will bear fruits in five years. “Malaking benipisyo ito sa mga katutubo dahil magkakaroon kami ng sustainable na kabuhayan na makakapagpatapos sa pag-aaral ng aming mga anak,” the Aeta barangay kagawad said.

Planted in the PTT reforestation project are fruit trees mangoes, cashew, jack fruits, guyabano, atis and coffee and forest trees agoho, narra, among some others.