CEBU, Philippines—The nationwide simultaneous tree planting finally pushed through on July 18 from 9 to 10 a.m.

The provincial government of Siquijor, through the Philippine Army's 704th Community Defense Center, joined the tree planting that kicked off at the 15-hectare lot identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in sitio Cantiwan, barangay Canlasog, Larena, Siquijor.

The activity was supposed to take place on June 29 but was postponed awaiting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to announce the countdown for the start of the tree planting activity.

The nationwide activity dubbed “Puno Para sa Kinabukasan” (A Tree For The Future) was initiated by the Philippine Army. It was aimed to make the Filipinos aware on the impact of global warming and the importance of protecting the environment through tree planting.

Thousands of participants including students, government officials and volunteers from the non-government organizations planted a total of 1.5 million tree seedlings in military camps, school premises and other selected areas nationwide.

In Siquijor, some 29,000 tree seedlings of various species were planted in the area by the students and officials from the different government agencies such as Education, Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, Agrarian Reform, Agriculture, Public Works and Highways, Philippine Army (PA), Philippine National Police, and Philippine Information Agency, among others.

“We want to project the other side of the Army as environmentalist soldiers by taking the opportunity to engage in non-traditional activity that would help President Arroyo's development program of a Green Philippines,” one PA official said.

A short program follows right after the tree planting with Provincial Agriculturist Ramon Taroc serving as the guest speaker in behalf of Gov. Orlando Fua Jr.

Larena Mayor Gold Calibo, in his opening remarks, said “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step and today’s activity is the first step.”