More Saleng Festival tree planters register with CEPMO

More groups have registered with the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) for the Saleng/Pine festival tree-planting activities, from June to September.  

Some of the environmentalists chose to clear areas, 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 (DICT) employees plant in their compound, while Texas Instruments (TI) employees have committed to adopt a park and nurture mixed Flora in their assigned area of responsibility, most probably the nearby Kadaclan Village Watershed.

As to records from CEPMO Forester Floro Bastian, tree planters include: 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 Chapter.    

As part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR), members of the San Vicente Multi-purpose Cooperative have signified availability to plant in any area assigned to them.

The Pines City National High School (PCNHS) are also doing repeat environmentalism on June 10 with Jeanne Dacalpap, President of the Master Teachers Association and Marissa David as project chairman, as they plant ferns and dwarf bamboo at the Arboretum; and Oliver Sinong, president of the PCNHSEA and Rusty Tarnate, project chairman as they 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 this year, PCNHS avid environmentalists cleared a 1,000 square meter area and planted 300 pine seedlings at the arboretum, Botanical Park.

According to CEPMO head Atty Rhenan Diwas, 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.        

Trees provide shade, food, medicine, wood, absorb pollutants, release oxygen and serve as noise barriers, protect the land, among its other uses.

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.” – JGF