My managing editor was right- ‘it is never too late to start realizing dreams,’ that’s what she told me via email as I sought her sympathy for my slightly- depresssed feeling about getting old and not being able to achieve some things in life. Didn’t get sympathy from that end, though. Instead, she challenged me to venture into something I have never tried before, promising her full support (morale boosting, mainly) whenever I needed it.
It was her encouragement that led me to start on a dream retirement community project for my Tanay (the municipality in the sky) piece of property. I am not a technical or a business person and I found (still do, as a matter of fact) it mind- boggling to be dealing with land measurements, terrain types, land elevations and the like. I have likewise proven in the past that my business acumen is sadly, al-most nil hence, the unending consultations (for free, ha!) with friends involved in the business of land development (Demy Posadas, former CREBA president, Lita Rosete, top notch broker, Rolly Matawaran, surveyor, Milan City Mayor Owen Diaz, structural engineers, landscapists and others) Well, little by little, we have started and work continues slowly but surely. Though my funds are meager, I know now that I can see this project through, with the support of many kind souls, within the next couple of years, hopefully giving just about enough time for many who have expressed interest to spend their retirement years there, to save up to own their ‘little place of heaven’.
But my dream is now growing branches. Since late last year as I have been travelling Marcos Hiway going to the Tanay site, the view of green Sierra Madre has been one of my many sources of enjoyment of the place.It a sight not so common anymore in the outskirts of the city as many lands, once agricultural and/ or forested have been converted into subdivisions and villages. Then, I have toyed with the idea of growing trees in a portion of my property that I know I can not yet develop (for lack of funds). A mini- forest was what I had in mind where friends and family can have a little taste of a not- so- wild but lush and green place- we can camp, and find time, especially for the young people, to explore and discover little lives that will abound- plants, animals and tiny organisms that cling on treetrunks . What an enjoyable way of discovering things!
Well, what do you know, looks like the dream will also be realized sooner than expected. I have sent in a request letter to our Environment and Natural Resources Department, more speci-fically, PENRO (Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office) hoping to avail of a hundred forest tree seedlings to start my little forest and PENRO Officer Raymundo D. Crisostomo has seen fit to approve it. Any day now, I shall be driving my pickup truck to PENRO in Antipolo City, very near Hinulugang Taktak to receive the seedlings entrusted to me. I shall nurture them lovingly.
With the growing fervor that I am feeling for this new advocacy, I have also signed up as member of a global association, newly formed- the International Environmental Communicators’ Association. Knowing that the problem of the environment can not be addressed in isolation, the group has called on many sectors that aim to discuss complex environmental issues and questions and disseminate information and/ or resolutions gathered to the global community,in the most understandable and comprehensible manner, thereby allowing the simplest of folk to participate in the drive to save the environment.
Corny ba to devote a full newspaper column to talk about forests and trees? I don’t think so- I have been to many parts of the world and one of the things I admire most in many countries visited is the sight of lush forests and healthy trees that many nations, especially the developed ones, maintain and lovingly care for in their parks and reserves.
Sana, Pinoys will also have the heart not only to appreciate the beautiful sights of nature in Palawan, Batanes, and the many islands of our country but to move and be active in protecting these from the ignorant, the unscrupulous and the simply uncaring. Sana, the ‘utak- uling’ of some kababayans will change into one that en- courages them to plant two tree seedlings for every grown tree that they chop for fuel; sana, illegal logging will totally stop; sana, our children will develop in them, through lessons and examples from their responsible elders, the appreciation of the relationship between nature and man. It is a give and take relationship that will ensure that the gifts of nature will be sustained for many, many more years to come.
On the 27th of the previous month, the nation launched activities for the yearlong observance of the National Year of Forests (Presidential Proclamation 125 ) no doubt an offshoot of the United Nations’ declaration of the year 2011 as International Year of Forests to create a deep awareness to build and sustain our forests. A five- year greening program dubbed the ‘National Greening Program’ is set for a massive reforestation effort to put back to vibrant life forests throughout the country. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources which spearheads the year- long observance has vowed to mobilize the citizenry into achieving the objectives of the project.
We may not be able to RE- earn the title of being one of the most biodiverse countries of the world ( take note, the Philippines was once ranked as the most biodiverse in marine life) but hopefully, we will earn the world’s respect by the manner that with which we eagerly and actively commit ourselves into moving our nation towards achieving healthy and productive forests and trees.
Personally, I am committing myself into achieving another dream- playing steward and growing that mini- forest.
Thank you, Tess!
THANK YOU, TORONTO!
