Tree Planting Activity Held to Celebrate 58th ASEAN Anniversary

Secretary Lazaro, with Executive Director Montemayor, lead the tree planting activity, alongside other government officials and delegates.

LOS BAÑOS 12 August 2025 - The Office of ASEAN Affairs, in cooperation with the University of the Philippines - Los Baños, and the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), held an ASEAN Tree Planting Activity in commemoration of the 58th Founding Anniversary of ASEAN on 09 August 2025 at the Makiling Botanic Gardens and the ACB Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro led the event, which saw delegates from the Embassies of ASEAN Member States and Timor Leste, and ACB’s Development Partners, plant individual seedlings of various dipterocarp tree species common to all ASEAN Member States, including saplungan, dalingdingan, yakal, yakal kaliot, guijo, and white lauan. Secretary Lazaro also planted a bagtikan or seraya (Panashorea malaanonan (Blanco) Merrill) sapling as an “ASEAN Heritage Tree” to symbolize the unity of the AMS. UP Los Baños Chancellor Dr. Jose V. Camacho Jr. was also present to welcome the delegation, joined by Los Baños Mayor Hon. Neil Andrew N. Nocon and Dean of the Department of Social Forestry and Forest Governance Professor Marlo D. Mendoza.

After the tree planting ceremony, ACB gave a presentation at its Headquarters of the Centre’s current programs and projects supported by its development partners, led by Executive Director Dr. Jerome L. Montemayor.

Secretary Lazaro emphasized that the tree planting activity goes beyond being merely symbolic, and is a concrete contribution of ASEAN and ASEAN Dialogue Partners to the ASEAN Green Initiative, which aims to plant ten million native trees over a period of ten years, across all ten ASEAN Member States.

The tree planting event highlighted the role of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the only ASEAN Centre hosted by the Philippines thus far, in the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity resources in the region. The Makiling Botanic Gardens is also an ASEAN Heritage Park.

The Tree Planting was followed by a program and lunch at the ACB Headquarters, which featured remarks from ACB Executive Director, Dr. Jerome L. Montemayor, Undersecretary for Bilateral and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, and Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Ana Marie L. Hernando. ACB also showcased its collaborations and projects supported by ASEAN External Partners.

Secretary Lazaro provided a keynote address, highlighting the dynamic and enduring relations of ASEAN, together with its partners. She also thanked the ACB, the only ASEAN Centre hosted by the Philippines, for nearly 20 years of active engagement and contributions to the management and conservation of biodiversity in the region since its establishment in 2005. END

Usec. De La Vega, and Asec. Ana Marie L. Hernando at the dipterocarp tree planting site at the Makiling Botanic Gardens, an ASEAN Heritage Park.