VISIT Binmaley town and experience the ambience of Japan’s cherry blossom gardens with the beautiful white and pink flowers of Palawan cherry trees or locally known as Balayong in full bloom.

The trees, planted on May 1, 2014, are conspicuous in and around the vicinity of Poblacion area – parks, fronting the seminary and beside the Our Lady of Purification Church overlooking its centuries-old bell tower.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Josefina Victorio, then a consultant to Mayor Simplicio Rosario and designated in-charge of tourism affairs here when the project was done.

The idea of planting Palawan cherry was hatched by one of the country’s popular couturiers, JC Buendia, and Victorio’s daughter Monette Victorio, one of the vice presidents of Smart Communications, while they were talking about Sakura season in Japan. Buendia suggested to Monette to have some saplings planted to her hometown Binmaley to make it adorned with flowers.

Thus was born “Binmaley Bloom,” the town’s tourism development program as suggested by Monette.

Initially, 70 saplings of Palawan cherry were planted around the vicinity of Binmaley municipal hall and the town park. Buendia, the Victorio mother-and-daughter tandem, Mayor Rosario and other municipal officials and employees joined the Palawan cherry planting activity.

Several years later, true to their vision then, when the plants have fully grown, the Poblacion area in this beautiful town has become a sight to behold among residents and visitors because, indeed, the sight is identical with Japan’s cherry blossom gardens.

It has become an added tourist attraction aside from the pristine beach that this town boasts of.

The planting of Palawan Cherry trees project has since been expanded to some barangays like in Canaoalan, Papagueyan, Balagan, Naguilayan, Buenlag.

The elder Victorio said the planted Palawan cherry here is in memory of her departed son Noel, which is “reminiscent of how generous Noel was and his kindness abundant”.

The website www.agriculture.com.ph describes Balayong, the Philippine cherry blossom, as a small to medium-sized tree that can grow to a height of 15 meters or taller. The timber of the Palawan Cherry was widely used in the Spanish colonial period as a material for building furniture because it’s easy to work with and is similar to narra, acacia, and ipil.

Balayong is widely distributed in the province of Palawan where the locals hold a Balayong Festival to celebrate its bloom between March and April. Although believed to be native to Palawan, the Balayong can also be grown in urban conditions.

In Manila, some Balayong trees are planted on the Malacañang Palace grounds facing the Pasig River. Several trees are also planted within the area of the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation in Quezon City. (Eva Visperas)

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