On his 65th birthday, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. joined the nationwide simultaneous bamboo and tree planting in San Mateo, Rizal.

Marcos on Tuesday morning led the kick-off ceremony for the tree planting project, dubbed "Buhayin ang Pangangalaga ng Kalikasan," at the former sanitary landfill at Pintong Bukawe village in San Mateo, Rizal.

In his speech, Marcos said the tree planting activity was held to make his birthday celebration more meaningful.

"The challenges we hurdled in recent years highlighted the fact that we have one Earth. We must spare no effort to ensure that it survives in the years to come," Marcos said.

"We have to do this as a concrete step that we take so that nature is cared for because it desperately needs that care and it desperately needs that attention. As such, I gladly welcome each of you as we kick start this simple yet impactful undertaking, a nationwide simultaneous tree planting activity," he added.

The tree planting program aims to plant over 8,000 seedlings and bamboo planting stocks in some parts of Region 4-A CALABARZON.

After delivering his speech, Marcos planted a bamboo plant stock called "Kawayang Tinik."

"Trees and plants, in general, are vital to human existence. They take in the air we breathe out so they might give the air that we breathe in. I thus wish that as we appreciate the impact of this endeavor, we also see it for the symbolic gesture that it is," Marcos said.

"It is a reminder for us to see past our personal interests and have the future in sight. It is a reminder for us to move behind the obstacles that we face and act always with love and compassion for our fellow Filipinos," he added.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Agriculture organized the ceremonial event.

Enhanced national greening program

For Marcos, the activity would be helpful in the implementation of the DENR's Enhanced National Greening Program, the country's most ambitious reforestation project.

"With the goal of reducing poverty, ensuring food security. environmental stability, conserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change, and adapting to climate change, more than two million hectares of reforestation sites were established from 2011 to 2021, and additional 46,265 hectares are expected to be developed in 2022," he said.

"The DENR targets 11,631 hectares of enhanced national greening program sites in 2023. And so, the seedlings that we will plant to do will be significant in realizing this goal," he added.

Sara greets BBM

Vice President Sara Z. Duterte wished the Chief Executive good health and happiness.

"I told PBBM, we need a selfie because the socmed team needs an obligatory birthday selfie, hence the smileys," Duterte said.

"Thank you, PBBM, and your 250th PAW for ensuring that wherever I may be found in the country during the day, I am home in time to tuck my children to bed. Thank you for putting a premium on the desire of a working mother to be present in her children's lives," Duterte said. "I wish God's favor upon you as you celebrate your birthday and pray that you are given the strength and wisdom for the difficult road ahead."

371 PDLs released

Three hundred seventy-one persons deprived of liberty from the New Bilibid Prisons and other penal farms were released Tuesday as part of the government's effort to decongest the country's prison facilities.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla personally led the ceremonies held at the NBP in Muntinlupa City to welcome the PDLs reentry into society.

"It's an act of grace. The origin is the sovereign because before the kings would do it on his birthday. Now, he (Marcos) is the head of state. The act of grace is something that the country likes to see from a very powerful man to one who is most desirous of liberty. It's a very good gesture to society," Remulla said.

The justice chief said around 360 more PDLs are in line for executive clemency through commutation of sentence, conditional pardon, or absolute pardon by Marcos.

WITH ALVIN MURCIA, PAULA ANTOLIN AND NEIL ALCOBER