Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the agency's priority now is ensuring the planted seedlings survive and mature, underscoring that the success of the campaign will be measured not by the number of trees planted but by the forests that ultimately take root.
The June 25 Arbor Day mobilization forms part of the DENR's Luntiang Bukas campaign, its flagship initiative aimed at building greener, cleaner, and more climate-resilient communities.
Beyond planting
The nationwide campaign drew 61,199 volunteers across 1,131 planting sites, covering 2,347.23 hectares of landscapes ranging from urban areas to coastal ecosystems.
By the end of the one-day campaign, 1,673,572 seedlings had been physically planted, while the remaining distributed saplings were scheduled to be planted throughout the month.
"This initiative aligns directly with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the DENR to take decisive actions to strengthen environmental protection, restore degraded ecosystems, and build more resilient communities," Cuna said.
He added that the initiative also supports the President's broader directive to integrate tree planting into flood-control and disaster mitigation projects to address the country's growing climate vulnerabilities.
Cuna emphasized that planting trees is only the beginning of the campaign.
"The true measure of Arbor Day goes beyond how many trees we plant today, but how many continue to grow years from now," he said.
Community stewardship
To improve seedling survival, the DENR is implementing a post-planting monitoring framework that shifts attention toward sustained watering, maintenance, and protection of planting sites.
Local DENR offices will work with local government units and organizations that adopted planting sites to ensure seedlings receive long-term care.
The agency said community participation will be critical to the campaign's success, particularly among young volunteers who are expected to help monitor and maintain newly planted areas.
"I am encouraging the youth to join this kind of activity since it is really sustainable, and it will help us not only environmentally, but also socially and economically, and it will be utilized by future generations," said Marvin Duco, a youth volunteer from Samar.
Environmental workers also stressed that protecting trees goes beyond environmental conservation and contributes directly to community safety.
"We are happy that the trees we plant will help Manileños. We are planting for the future," said Arnold Natividad, a worker at the Parks Development Office of Manila City Hall.
Climate resilience
Randy Matibag, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Dolores, Quezon, urged volunteers to continue caring for the planting sites after Arbor Day activities.
According to the DENR, the greening initiative forms part of a broader strategy to restore degraded ecosystems, improve biodiversity, secure water resources, reduce flooding and soil erosion, improve air quality, create livelihood opportunities, and strengthen the country's resilience to climate change.
Observed every June 25 under Republic Act No. 10176, Philippine Arbor Day serves as a nationwide call to action encouraging Filipinos to participate in forest restoration, environmental protection, and sustainable development. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
