In response to the late Pope Francis’ call to care for creation, De La Salle Philippines (DLSP) is constructing an outdoor classroom through a botanical garden. It is the La Salle Botanical Gardens (LSBG), an extension of the “One Million Trees and Beyond Project,” which mobilizes La Salle schools to plant over a million trees. As the LSBG expands its conservation efforts, the garden will serve as a center for education, research, and recreation through its proposed state-of-the-art laboratories, plant cultures, and sustainable design.
Sketching the landscape
Touted as a dynamic ecological regeneration project, the LSBG is being worked on alongside the De La Salle Alumni Association Pampanga Chapter and Nuevocentro Inc., which donated the 24.5 hectares of land. The site, located in Porac, Pampanga, is being developed with the guidance of United Kingdom-based firm Gross Max and Cavite-based company SGS Designs Landscape Architecture, both known for their sustainable landscape design strategies.
The project outlines its implementation in three phases. LSBG is currently in its first phase, where most infrastructure developments will occur. This includes the conversion of seven hectares into at least three themed gardens, a chapel complex with an events venue, and a biodiversity research center, all while setting up habitat regeneration areas.
Designed based on the site’s natural topography, the garden is divided into two distinct zones: one elevated, rugged section with steep ridges and the other with gentle slopes. This setup will comprise conventional botanical gardens that feature taxonomic plant collections, from nature valleys on shifting slopes that showcase the regeneration of nature to a cultural ridgeline on the highest ridge that celebrates the traditions of the local Aeta community.
A shared transformation
The botanical garden is situated near the volcanic Mount Pinatubo, exhibiting lahar-based terrain wherein its dryness poses the challenge of finding plant species suitable in the area. Jesiree Elena Ann Bibar, the national program coordinator of LSBG, points out that the botanical garden is a major hub for plant conservation of Philippine-native plants. “We have to prioritize planting native species of plants, kasi ito ‘yung [nakatutulong] for local biodiversity,” she explains.
(We have to prioritize planting native species of plants because they can help local biodiversity.)
Bibar further narrates that the LSBG committee and DLSU scientists are working to find native plants, such as cycads, that can thrive even in extreme climate conditions: “We have endangered species of cycads dito sa Philippines, and [they are] endangered…globally, so talagang matindi [rin] ‘yung conservation efforts for cycads.”
(We do have endangered species of cycads here in the Philippines, and they are endangered globally, so we are exerting strong conservation efforts for cycads.)
To support this mission, the site will house facilities like seed banks, herbaria, and laboratories for botanical research. Meanwhile, in consideration of the country’s extreme weather conditions, the landscape design will incorporate rain gardens and gabions for stormwater control, directing excess rainfall into proper channels to mitigate erosion and sediment deposits. Additionally, drought-tolerant plants, rainwater harvesting systems, green roofs, soil moisture sensors, and water detention areas will be established to adapt to dry seasons.
With its “living lab” concept, the LSBG will offer valuable insights into native flora alongside localized conservation methods, creating a suitable environment for plant biology and ecological research to thrive. This dedicated space will allow for in-depth studies of how ecosystems interact and the changing environment, contributing vital data on climate resilience and adaptation strategies.
The LSBG will also serve as a recreational space for Lasallians and the general public. “Definitely, we will be open for visitors. Magkakaroon ng…admission fees, but that is for management [and] maintenance. Hindi tayo parang income-generating for profit,” Bibar clarifies.
(Definitely, we will be open for visitors. There will be admission fees, but that is for management and maintenance purposes. We are not generating income for profit.)
Through this promising botanical garden, DLSP hopes to foster a sense of responsibility and motivation for environmental stewardship within the Lasallian community and, sooner, the nation. Once this project is accomplished by 2029, they plan to collaborate with schools, organizations, and start-ups committed to spreading environmental sustainability and conservation. By cultivating a shared transformation, the LSBG will open new avenues for environmental advancement, empowering communities to preserve our planet and foster an echoing culture of sustainability.
