My late Great-grandmother and Grandmother planted 90+ Carabao Mango Trees, 30+ Indian Mango Trees, 40+ Santol Trees, and multiple Mahogany Trees in most of their properties in Balayan Batangas.
So basically, we lived in a generation were we stayed in a place with perfectly good shade, abundant of fruits and lots of trees to climb.

It was so serene and peaceful that we do see different species of birds building their nest egg in several of the tall trees scattered in the property.
We don’t feel the heat even in the Summer and we never used air-conditioning. A typical electric fan will suffice. When we were little, we always bring a pail of water at noon to build sand castle, pots and other sand stuff and we never ever perspire…. not a drop!
We always climb trees (just the small ones) and watch the new bird hatchlings (normally pigeons). On very rare occasions, I sometimes saw a Black-naped Oriole built a nest to lay her eggs. It was an incredible experience.

Plus the fruits… we got loads and loads of them packed in large bamboo baskets (we call them Kaing). And since the mangoes are bountiful, my Grandmother (we call her Tita Caring) normally gave them away to relatives and friends.
But surprisingly, we still got lots of mangoes (both green and yellow ones) everywhere in our house… like in the refrigerator, kumidor (Comedor in Spanish - dining room), the dirty kitchen and even in the lanai.
We got so many mangoes that I gave up on eating them. They were just too many!

I was so lucky that I was born in their family tree (Martinez clan). That even most of that properties that I’ve mentioned are long gone…. I still have one property that is filled with Mahogany trees and I do still intend to add more trees in the coming years. Not for me really but for my children, our relatives, and to our next generation.

That is why I am bringing this up to you. That even though you don’t have properties or trees in your properties… it is never too late to have them in your lifetime. For starters, you can plant Gmelina. It is one of the fastest growing trees in our country today. A full grown tree (1,500 meters in altitude) takes only 5 years to grow.
But it’s up to you really. You can plant a variety of trees.. some fruit bearing, some for lumber and some just for shade.

Here are some of the benefits on why each Filipino family should have trees in their properties…

1.) Conserve Energy
3 trees placed strategically around a single-family home can cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent. By reducing the energy demand for cooling our houses, we reduce carbon dioxide and other pollution emissions from power plants.

2.) Provides Food
Do I still need to amplify on this? Just plant your favorite fruit bearing trees and taste the “Fruits of your Labor!”

3.) Increased Property Value
People are drawn to homes and businesses near trees. The proof is in the prices: property values are 7 percent to 25 percent higher for houses surrounded by trees and consumers spend up to 13 percent more at shops near green landscapes.

4.) Calming Effect for your Health
Feeling down? Take a walk in the woods. Several studies have found that access to nature yields better cognitive functioning, more self-discipline, and greater mental health overall. One study even found that hospital patients who can see trees out their windows are hospitalized 8 percent fewer days than their counterparts. Children with ADHD show fewer symptoms when they have access to nature.

5.) Flood Control
Trees can hold vast amounts of water that would otherwise stream down hills and surge along rivers into towns. That’s why trees are such an important part of storm-water management for many cities.

6.) Wildlife Habitat
Wildlife use trees for food, shelter, nesting, and mating. These habitats support the incredible variety of living things on the planet, known as biodiversity. By protecting trees, we also save all the other plants and animals they shelter. You never know… you might see a Philippine Eagle-Owl in your very own tree.

7.) Combat Climate Change & Provides Clean Air
Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. Urban trees and forests are saving an average of one life every year per city because of the particulates that they remove from the air.

So there you go, the best time to plant a tree is NOW!

You must be “THE CHANGE” you wish to see in the World!

Each One, Teach One, How to Plant One!

Francis Isberto
Friendillion.com

P.S. = To get a better view and insight of the trees in the property, you may watch my short video on this link:

Santolan