SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Various stakeholders of this premier freeport are all set to take part in the annual Arbor Day 2022 starting June 20.
Magtanum kitamo: Subic Bay’s Artbor Day, D-Day is this year’s Arbor Day celebration organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Ecology Center where Subic Bay Freeport locators, residents, SBMA departments and employees, particularly environmental officers, pollution control officers and managers are enjoined.
Dubbed as “Bi-ayang Chawon Year 2,” Arbor Day aims to highlight the values of trees and forests, and to educate and encourage the Freeport stakeholders to take care of these important natural resources.
“Bi-ayang Chawon means to continue doing the activities that would improve environmental awareness, re-introduce activities that would aid in the conservation and protection of the forests, and promote camaraderie among the stakeholders,” SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya Dela Llana explained.
According to Dela Llana, the celebration will commence with Panimula, a virtual opening ceremony on June 20 at 10:00 AM and end with Pagpapatuloy, its virtual closing on July 4.
Online lecture series, social media posts and exhibits, and a tree-planting activity will highlight the three-week event. First of which is Chawon: An online Lecture Series” will open every 10:00 AM from June 22 to 24.
Also #TREEnding will feature (1) weekly social media posts about the SBF forest and/or trivia about trees; (2) a two-week photo exhibit at the Harbor Point Ayala Mall that will showcase SBMA’s Arbor Day celebrations and reforestation efforts; (3) a three-day trade fair that will feature concessionaires of organic, eco-friendly and/or educational products that will run from June 22 to 24; and (4) a photo contest where participants will be asked to post a photo of them or their group participating in the activities during the Subic Bay’s Arbor Day, D-Day on June 30, 2022.
Finally, Magtanum kitamo: Subic Bay’s Arbor Day, D-Day on June 30, participants will take part in a tree planting at the SBMA’s reforestation site, collect wildlings at Pamulaklakin Forest, and cleanup El Kabayo Forest from 6:30 AM to 12:00 NN.
However, Dela Llana added that due to the pandemic, they will be implementing a pre-registration for the actual planting activity, which started on June 13 to limit the number of participating personnel.
Meanwhile, SBMA chairman and administrator Rolen C. Paulino disclosed that the said activities are part of the bigger plan to make Subic attractive to foreign and local investors who would want to make it happen in the Philippines and find it practical to invest in Subic.
Arbor Day is observed every June 25. During the peak of the pandemic, Arbor Day was observed thru online activities