GIANT BAMBOO FOR HUMANITY

"The goal is not to liveforever, but to create something that will."

It was not an ordinary Sunday morning of July 3, 2022, and as early as 4:00 am, members of the Rotary Club of Fort Bonifacio Global City D3830 with invited All Star Team Presidents headed by AG Bea Tan, together with the executives and employees of DDC Land Inc. prepared and ready to meet up at Areza Mall Pagsanjan, Laguna for the District 3820, Kick Off Project of Bamboo Planting dubbed as Gift to our Shore, at Barangay Lambac along Pagsanjan River with District 3820 Governor Gina Sy.

Bamboo propagules were donated by PDG Edna Sutter to Gov. Gina Sy D3820, during the Turnover Ceremony on April 8, 2022, at DDC Land Office in Pasay City. Bamboo for Environment and Livelihood is part of DDC Land’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) advocacy of PDG Edna Sutter, CEO and President of DDC Land Inc. A project inspired by RPC21 Manila, in which PDG Edna was a Conference Chair. Together with RC Fort Bonifacio Global City, they celebrated the initial distribution of at least a hundred thousand bamboo propagules to Corporate, Civic, and Rotary Partners. District 3820, which received 20,000 pieces of Bamboo Propagules, is one of the earliest recipients among Rotary Districts.

The District event of D3820 was attended by more or less 40 Rotary Clubs with more than 300 Rotarians and guests, mostly led by its Imaginative Genuine Service Presidents (IGSP).

The highlight of the event is the actual Bamboo Planting along Pagsanjan River. Everybody joined the convoy from Areza Mall and was escorted by Pagsanjan Police who also maintained orderliness.

There are 2 sites in the river banks where bamboos are to be planted. Holes were ready for planting wherein about 500 propagules were planted in an area of 2 hectares.

Rotarians and guests were assisted by Barangay officials and volunteers, as each club was given assigned areas to plant. Local officials who joined the planting are the Regional Mobile Force Battalion IV-A, City Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) Sta. Cruz Laguna, Tayo and Kalikasan, Philippine Bamboo Professionals, and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Laguna.

To represent PDG Edna Sutter, who donated the Bamboo Propagules, was VP Minette Modesto of DDC Land, Inc., and overseeing partner RC Fort Bonifacio Global City D3830, represented by PP Roliv Francia—both recognized as they were given Certificates of Appreciation.

As part of its partnership, D3820 is committed to taking care of the propagation and planting of said propagules, with the purpose of mitigating climate change and providing livelihood for the communities who are the beneficiaries of this advocacy.

The program was a success with the support of the Rotary Clubs of D3820 and everyone whose advocacy is Bamboo for Environment and Livelihood.