Who would have thought that you can have fun while enjoying music and helping the environment at the same time? This is what all the participants and music artists experienced in One Paradise: Puno ng Musika, a tree-planting gig organized by One Music PH for the benefit of the La Mesa Watershed – the sole forest of its size in Metro Manila.

Held at the La Mesa Ecopark, One Paradise is a movement that harnesses the power of music to raise awareness and educate people on various environmental matters that need to be addressed.

“Kasi naniniwala kami na music can influence, can inspire and can touch people. Hindi lang sya basta isang concert, isang gig. Pero it has a cause. For this One Paradise, we had a tree-planting,” shared by Joy Mesina, Editor-In-Chief of One Music PH.

Almost 100 various endemic plants to the Philippines were planted not just by the participants but also by all the music artists who performed in the event. They shared the same advocacy with One Music and Bantay Kalikasan on preserving and taking care of the environment. With their bare hands, they became one with nature as they planted seedlings that will grow and will give hope.

Maris Racal, singer-performer, expressed her great pleasure in joining this year’s One Paradise event, “Thankful ako [for] being part of this kasi nakahanap na naman ako ng opportunity to participate and help save Mother Earth.”

Millennials are socially relevant that is why music is a strong platform to influence and to make them go out and make a stand on the environment.

One Paradise: Puno ng Musika is a great tool for artists to share their music and help the environment all at once. It also became a platform for them to meet and give back to all their supporters.

Davey Langit, Trisha Denise, Hulo, and Acel inspired the crowd with their heartwarming performances. JMKO and Justin Vasquez brought ‘kilig’ on the stage as they serenaded the crowd with their own versions of classic love songs.  Maris Racal and Sam Mangubat showcased their soothing voices as they performed the song, Abot Langit while AC Bonifacio exuded swag and groove with her talk-of-the-town dance cover of Swalla. For the encore, Kean Cipriano rocked the stage with his new song, Eye Contact.

The One Paradise:Puno ng Musika at the La Mesa Ecopark is the third concert for a cause organized by One Music PH. In 2018, they promoted Beach Cleanup in La Union followed by their promotion of Responsible Beach Partying, an event that sought to educate people to minimize the use of single-use plastic.

Proceeds of One Paradise: Puno ng Musika will directly go to the operations of ABS-CBN Foundation- Bantay Kalikasan’s (BK) project on La Mesa Watershed. For years, BK has been rehabilitating the La Mesa Watershed. Jen Deomano Santos assured that the seedlings that they have planted will surely grow and will be nurtured by the staff of the watershed.

“Kailangan ma-preserve yung mga ganitong bagay kasi nag-iiba na rin mundo natin eh and kailangan din natin magtulungan na i-preserve yung Mother Earth. Let’s do something good as this,” said Kean Cipriano, vocalist of the pop-rock band Callalily, as he emphasized the importance of this tree-planting gig.

All the performers, Bantay Kalikasan, and One Music PH are extending their deepest gratitude to all the participants who joined and helped them achieve their advocacy in protecting and preserving the environment.

Sam Mangubat expressed his appreciation to the audience who stayed and showed enthusiasm despite light rain during the event, “Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat na pumunta at sana huwag po kayo magsawa na suportahan ang mga ganitong klaseng proyekto. Hindi lang po ito para sa kalikasan natin. Dahil ang para sa kalikasan ay para sa atin ding lahat.”

One Paradise: Puno ng Musika is just the beginning in enabling the artists and participants to protect Mother Earth. Even the smallest effort to save the environment may grow big and inspire others to continue this noble cause.

May this event ignite the fire within every Filipino to bring out the environmental steward in them.