Old trees and resilience

As kids, we scared each other while passing old acacia, balete, or mango trees, picturing mythical creatures living inside.

- OF TREES AND FOREST FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT MANNY VILLAR

We'd hear elders say they never cut them down, afraid of curses or hauntings. Trees like the 50-year-old acacia in Villar City carry deep mysticism in Filipino folklore, serving as homes for beings like the kapre—a giant spirit puffing on a cigar.Beyond the myths, old trees also symbolize history and resiliency. The heritage tree in Villar City, the 50-year-old acacia tree, is not just a tree, it is a symbolic tree that has weathered many years and challenges, standing as a beautiful beacon of resilience, hope, and a bright future for everyone. Its gnarled trunk is a testament to time's patient chisel, its bark etched like the wrinkles of an elder's face, whispering tales of storms weathered and decades endured.

In early 2023, just before Villar City's first holiday lights, experts spotted damage on the heritage tree—branches broken—so we were advised to bring in horticulturists for months of careful pruning, feeding, and nursing to bring it back. It revived, blooming stronger amid the festive glow, a real spark of hope.