More groups have registered with the City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo) for the Saleng/Pine Tree Festival tree-planting activities from June to September.
Some of the environmentalists chose to clear areas or plant either pine, ornamentals or fruit-bearing trees and nurture these in their work venues, or nearby vacant areas.
Others choose to adopt parks for ecological purposes.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology employees will plant in their compound, while Texas Instruments employees have committed to adopt a park and nurture mixed flora in their assigned area of responsibility, probably the nearby Kadaclan Village Watershed.
Cepmo Forester Floro Bastian said those who will plant trees are City Camp Proper barangay, Baguio Taichi Action group, Saint Louis University School of Mining Engineering and Architecture, and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas Baguio-Benguet.
As part of their corporate social responsibility, members of the San Vicente Multi-purpose Cooperative signified their availability to plant in any area assigned to them.
The Pines City National High School (PCNHS) with Jeanne Dacalpap, president of the Master Teachers Association and Marissa David as project chair planted ferns and dwarf bamboo at the arboretum and Oliver Sinong, president of the PCNHS Employees Association and Rusty Tarnate, project chair planted 100 pine seedlings at the Buyog Watershed.
The activity was done simultaneously at the two venues with 167 volunteer teachers, students, alumni, and parents.
In April, PCNHS environmentalists cleared a 1,000 square-meter area and planted 300 pine seedlings at the Arboretum, Botanical Park.
Cepmo Head, Atty. Rhenan Diwas said nursery personnel in Busol and Botanical garden continue to produce tree seedlings for planters, for replacement due to cut or typhoon-felled trees, and for distribution as to project Community Pan-TREE.
The Saleng/Pine Tree Festival, a four-month planting season among other activities, serves as an avenue for environmentalists to commit, join, and encourage fellow residents to protect Baguio’s natural beauty.
This year’s Saleng theme is; “Amplifying voices for environmental advocacy.” – Julie G. Fianza
