SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), together with employees from 106 business locators and investors, conducted a large-scale tree planting activity in Pastolan Village on June 23, 2026, in celebration of Arbor Day.
A total of 592 participants composed of SBMA employees and workers from various Freeport companies planted 834 saplings of fruit-bearing trees, including jackfruit, cashew, soursop, and lipote, at the Mulawin Bayakan Reforestation Site in Pastolan Village, an ancestral domain of the Aeta Indigenous Peoples within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Dubbed “Magtanum Kitamo: Subic Bay’s Arbor Day and Forest Bounty Showcase,” the activity carried the theme “Our Forest, Our Craft, Our Bounty,” highlighting the vital role of forests in sustaining biodiversity, livelihoods, and community well-being.
The environmental initiative gathered hundreds of volunteers in a unified effort to strengthen forest restoration, enhance biodiversity, and contribute to long-term climate resilience within the Subic Bay Freeport. The fruit-bearing trees are expected to support ecological balance while providing future benefits to local communities through additional sources of food and livelihood.
SBMA Ecology Center Officer-in-Charge Rossell L. Abuyo emphasized that the annual Arbor Day celebration serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility of government agencies, private sector partners, and communities in safeguarding the environment.
“Every tree we plant today is a step toward a greener and healthier Subic Bay. We are grateful for the strong support of our locators and employees who continue to partner with SBMA in protecting the environment and promoting sustainability,” Abuyo said.
Meanwhile, SBMA OIC-Senior Deputy Administrator for Regulatory Group and Deputy Administrator for Public Health Amethya P. Dela Llana likewise lauded the participants for their contribution to environmental conservation efforts in the Freeport.
She added that all participants should take pride in being part of an initiative that helps preserve the environment, strengthen forest ecosystems, and ensure a greener future for the Subic Bay Freeport and the communities that depend on it.
“Ang bawat punong itinanim natin ay ambag sa pangangalaga ng kalikasan at sa pagpapanatili ng likas na yaman ng Subic Bay para sa susunod na henerasyon. Dapat nating ipagmalaki na naging bahagi tayo ng gawaing ito para sa ating kapaligiran,” she said.
The activity forms part of SBMA’s continuing environmental conservation and reforestation initiatives aimed at preserving the ecological integrity of the Subic Bay Freeport while fostering stronger partnerships with stakeholders in advancing sustainable development.
Through collaborative programs such as the Arbor Day celebration, SBMA continues to encourage active participation in environmental stewardship and climate action, ensuring that future generations will benefit from a greener, healthier, and more resilient environment.
Philippine Arbor Day is officially observed nationwide every June 25 under Republic Act No. 10176, or the Arbor Day Act of 2012, which promotes tree planting and environmental conservation as a shared responsibility among all Filipinos. In line with this observance, communities, local government units, and government agencies across the country continue to implement tree-growing and nurturing initiatives to help address climate change and strengthen environmental sustainability. (Dante M. Salvana)