Marcos marks 65th birthday by planting bamboo, visiting an orphanage

SAN MATEO, Rizal — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. marked his 65th birthday by planting bamboo or “kawayang tinik” here on Tuesday.

Marcos participated in the national simultaneous bamboo and tree planting activity here, which was spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Sabi ko, siguro ang pinakamaganda, para ‘yung kaarawan ko ay maging mas makabuluhan at talagang may dahilan na tayo magcelebrate, sabi ko gawa tayo ng greening, tree planting at ‘yan naman talaga ay ang pinakaimportanteng isyu hindi lamang sa Pilipinas kung hindi sa buong mundo ngayon,” Marcos said in his message.

(What I said was it would be better, so I could celebrate my birthday, I told them let’s do tree planting and that’s the most important issue not only in the Philippines but around the world.)

Marcos recalled that during his first State of the Nation Address, he emphasized that preserving the environment was nothing less than preserving life.

“Therefore it can only be one of our important priorities if we wish to make sure that our plans for country’s economy will succeed.

“Itong ating ginagawa itong araw na ito ay isa sa mga hakbang na maaari nating gawin upang tulungan at patibayain ang ating kalikasan, alagaan ang ating kalikasan, para ay tayo naman ay mayroon tayong imamana sa mga anak natin sa susunod sa atin na mga Pilipino,” Marcos said.

(The activity we did today is among the things we could do to preserve and strengthen our nature. Let us take care of out nature for the next generation.)

Marcos said the initiative would greatly help in raising awareness on environmental welfare and protection. 

He added that this activity would contribute to the DENR’s National Greening Program, which, according to Marcos, is the country’s "most ambitious reforestation program" yet.

"With the goal of reducing poverty, ensuring food security, environmental stability, conserving biodiversity, and mitigating climate change, and adapting to climate change, more than two million hectares of reforestation sites were established from 2011 to 2021," Marcos said.

According to Marcos, the DENR targets 11,631 hectares of Enhanced National Greening Program Sites in 2023.

"And so, the seedlings that we will plant today will be significant in realizing this goal. This program will generate jobs, will generate opportunities, and will generate livelihood for our countrymen," said Marcos.

"More than the economic benefit of this activity, we are essentially and primarily investing in ensuring that our planet remains a safe space. Never mind for us, but we are only custodians of this earth. But more so that we can say to the children, the Filipinos that follow us, that we have taken good care of that, which they will inherit," he added. 

Marcos later spent time with the children at the White Cross Orphanage in San Juan City.

"Ang ngiti at pagbati na sumalubong sa ating pagbisita sa White Cross Orphanage na siguro ang isa sa pinakamatamis na regalong aking natanggap ngayong aking kaarawan," Marcos said in a Facebook post.

(One of the sweetest presents I received on my birthday was perhaps the smiles and messages that welcomed me at the White Cross Orphanage.)

"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa mga namamahala sa White Cross at maging sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) sa kanilang pag-aruga sa mga kabataang nananabik sa kalinga ng isang pamilya," he added.

(I thank the management of White Cross and the DSWD for the attention given to children who yearn for the care of a family.)

Marcos pledged that his administration would strive to provide these children a bright future.

Meanwhile, national leaders, including Vice President Sara Duterte, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, joined the President for lunch at the Palace. — RSJ/VBL, GMA News