Planting Manila Fire Tree: Protecting Manila from Another Ondoy

A week ago, Metro Manila and surrounding areas commemorated the 1st anniversary of a tragic event in Philippine history - Ondoy. Who would forget that day (September 26th 2009) when for a few hours, a month's worth of rain unusually poured in to drench the Philippine capital, almost erasing it on the map. It was the country's worst flooding in four decades. Hence, it was worth commemorating, not only to celebrate and honor the brave unsung heroes who rose to the challenges of that crucible times but also to remind us of our duty towards Mother Earth, to remain faithful to the biblical commandment given us, which is stewardship of all creation.

As I watched on television the activities commence, my eyes caught one interesting placard calling to "Save Sierra Madre". This was from one of the activities held in Marikina City, one of the localities greatly hit by Typhoon Ondoy. As highlighted by government and non-government organizations, deforestration of the Sierra Madre mountains brought about by illegal logging, mining and conversion of forest lands to commercial subdivisions was among the major factors that have aggravated the flooding experienced by Metro Manila during Ondoy. Because there were no trees to hold off the flood waters from the mountains, they rushed freely to the metropolis and eventually gave rise to those traumatic neck-deep flooding. It is just right to correct this through reforestration.

Replanting our depleted rainforests not only ensures that we don't experience another Ondoy again (or at least it mitigates the havoc to be wreaked by another Ondoy-like typhoon especially in terms of flooding) but it also makes our surroundings beautiful. Good thing is, we don't necessarily have to go to the mountains literally to participate in this undertaking. Even within Metro Manila, we can start replanting our boulevards, parks, center islands, sidewalks and other areas with sturdy perennial fruit-bearing or ornamental trees, which is again a positive response against global warming.

Two years ago if my memory serves me right, MMDA had a massive campaign to plant cadena de amor plants along EDSA. Not only did this made EDSA beautiful, but the plants were said to have helped control air pollution on this busy road stretch.



This time around, why not try covering Metro Manila with beautiful Manila Fire trees (Delix regina), also known as arbol de fuego, or royal poinciana? I had first seen one of these trees along the vacant parking spaces of the old Araneta center some 10 or 15 years ago. I was curious then as to what this tree was called. It reminded me of Japan's cherry blossoms because of its orange to red-orange sprouts falling to the ground when the wind blew. I noticed what fell were actually not leaves but some kind of small clustered flowers. The tree has intrigued me since then. In UP Diliman where I spent college, some of these trees are standing tall and proud along the University oval. Its umbrella-like canopy can spread widely, sometimes wider than its height. For me, the Manila Fire Tree is our version of the mythical oak trees of North America. Why not? This tree is mythical in itself because of the blazing effect it gives our avenues, parks, streets and gardens. Thanks to its red to orange red blossoms, it's as if it's telling a story to anyone who really pays attention to it. The tree is inspiring and I hope the government, particularly MMDA and the local governments give the Manila Fire tree the promotion and recognition it so deserves.

I don't know where this "plant a tree now" blog entry came from. But I agree with Czarina Gatbonton's controversial answer in the Bb. Pilipinas 2010 final Q&A, that the tree is the source of the air we breathe and thus the source of life on earth.