By Maria Asumpta Estefanie C. Reyes
NEW CLARK CITY, Tarlac (PIA) — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has planted 500 additional native and endemic trees, reforesting one hectare of land along One Clark Boulevard in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac.
This initiative brings the agency closer to its goal of planting 1,000 trees by the end of 2025, as part of its commitment to sustainable urban development and climate action.
Since January, BCDA, along with its public and private sector partners, has planted a total of 811 native and endemic trees.
BCDA employees, led by President and CEO Joshua Bingcang, recently participated in planting a variety of native species, including Amugis, Dao, Salingogon, Kamagong, and Banaba.
These species were carefully selected for their ability to thrive in the region’s environment while enhancing biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, stabilizing land near rivers, and serving as natural carbon sinks.
“This initiative underscores our dedication to building infrastructure that nurtures both progress and the environment. It’s about creating spaces that foster well-being, recreation, and a connection with nature,” Bingcang said.
With an 80 percent survival rate from last year’s planting efforts, BCDA aims to continue its reforestation work by planting an additional 1,000 trees this year.
These actions contribute to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), including Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
Since 2019, BCDA has spearheaded various tree-planting initiatives that demonstrate its commitment to the environment and sustainable growth.
Among these are the “100 Trees for 100 Days” campaign ahead of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and a 2022 partnership with the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council Inc., which saw the planting of 500 trees for BCDA’s 30th anniversary.
This year, BCDA also held planting activities on June 10 and 22 in partnership with the Youth Ministry of Catholics for Life and the Tourism Promotions Board, respectively.
The former resulted in 90 planted trees, while the latter added 171 native trees, including Banaba, Molave, Lipote, Kalumpit, Narra, and Malabulak.
These efforts highlight BCDA’s leadership in integrating environmental stewardship with urban development, setting an example of how public sector projects can drive progress toward achieving the UN SDGs.
Through sustainable practices, BCDA continues to build cities that are resilient, smart, and harmonious with the environment, ensuring that growth is both responsible and regenerative. (CLJD/MAECR, PIA Region 3-Tarlac)
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