The Commanding General, Philippine Army (CGPA) Lt. Gen. Roy M. Galido joined the inauguration ceremony of the Water is Life: Agri-Reforestation Project on August 10, 2023, at Camp O’ Donnell, Sta. Lucia, Capas, Tarlac.
The eight-hectare Water-is-Life Project was initiated by the Philippine Army’s Armor Division in collaboration with the Tarlac Heritage Foundation to mitigate the effects of climate change by helping reduce carbon footprint, promote conservation, and implement sustainable practices. The reforestation campaign grows a different variety of vegetables, fruit-bearing and non-fruit-bearing trees as well as a Bamboo Orchard. The garden also includes livestock dispersal, tilapia ponds, and a playground for visiting families of Armor soldiers.
The official opening ceremony was graced by Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. as the Guest of Honor and Speaker and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP) Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. together with Philippine Ambassadors from Thailand, Brunei, Laos and Cambodia, government officials, and other civilian stakeholders.
The Army chief, in his speech, highlighted that the Army will replicate and adapt various camps to help the soldiers and their families acquire an alternative livelihood and address food security, which will later become useful in the conduct of community support programs. “The Army remains committed and steadfast in upholding environmental security conservation. As we embrace our role as eco-warriors, the PA supports sustainable projects that contribute to our environmental consciousness. We underscore our integral role in the preservation of natural resources. Through this initiative, we can transform our agricultural and environmental landscape into a productive and high-yielding ecological community,” the CGPA ended.
Photos by SSg Cesar P. Lopez, OACPA