I got my race packet for the GIG (Green Is Good) Run yesterday afternoon. The race information states that this run is organized by the UP Mountaineers which is dubbed as “Run For Reforestation”. It is an effort to plant trees in the Ipo and Angat Dams’ Watersheds. These Water Dams, located in Bulacan, supply 97% of Metro Manila’s water needs and there is a need to plant more trees on the vicinity of these two dams.

Hereunder are pictures of my race number and nice singlet for the race:

          

The truth of the matter is that the water that is impounded to these two dams comes from the Umiray River in Aurora Province which is located in the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges. These multi-million project collects water from Umiray River and these big volume of water flows along a 28-kilometer water pipe/tunnel which can accommodate a passenger bus inside! This project was one of the Utility Infrastructure Projects made during the Marcos Administration which few of our countrymen knew about it.

Three months before I was assigned as the Brigade Commander of the Philippine Army forces in the area that covers the provinces of Aurora-Bulacan-Nueva Ecija-Eastern Pangasinan, the Communist Insurgents/Terrorists or the “New People’s Army” (NPA) raided the Umiray River Water Impounding Complex and disarmed its Security Guards. These insurgents were asking “revolutionary taxes” from the operators (Maynilad Water Services, Inc.). No money was given to the insurgents. Since then up to the present, one platoon (30 soldiers) of the Philippine Army had been guarding that water impounding complex and most of the insurgents involved in the raid had been killed or surrendered to the government troops during my almost three years of assignment in the area. 

In 2003, in a “freak accident”, one of my Army posts/detachments guarding the Angat Dam was “washed-out” entirely due to landslide caused by continuous rains and typhoon which resulted to the drowning and “missing-in-action” of one of my soldiers whose body was not yet recovered up to this time! If only the vicinity and areas surrounding these two dams had more trees planted, such accident could never had happened. Although, my soldiers had greatly contributed in the planting of trees on the area, there is a need to plant more trees in the said area.

I am sure by joining this race, I am contributing to the efforts of the organizers in planting more trees to the Watersheds of Angat and Ipo Dams. Lastly, I am dedicating this run to the”soldier” who died in that landslide incident, who was “on duty & service” to secure and protect the source of water for the millions of people living in Metro Manila.