For. Alexis T. Fajardo, Forest Technician II
On 9 August 2025, the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) marked ASEAN Day with a symbolic tree planting at the Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG) in the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR)—recognized as the 33rd ASEAN Heritage Park and the fifth in the Philippines.
The event brought together representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Municipality of Los Baños, the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME), and 21 ambassadors from countries across ASEAN and beyond, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, Timor-Leste, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States, and the European Union.
Participants planted native Dipterocarp tree species like bagtikan (Parashorea malaanonan), saplungan (Hopea plagata), dalindingan (Hopea foxworthyi), yakal kaliot (Hopea malibato), yakal (Shorea astylosa), guijo (Shorea guiso), and white lauan (Shorea contorta), symbolizing the region’s collective commitment to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
With its lush greenery and rich diversity of Philippine flora, the MBG provided the perfect backdrop for this celebration of unity, environmental stewardship, and regional cooperation among ASEAN nations.
Photos by: AJTFajardo
