RAFI, partners to hold Cebu-wide green run

CEBU, Philippines - The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. through its GREENIN Philippines Program and its partners will hold the Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines 2012 on June 30.

The event will be held simultaneously in 51 municipalities and component cities, including Cebu City, making the event a province-wide endeavor. The Cebu Provincial Government has issued an executive order mandating the implementation and institutionalization of Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines throughout the province. This year, Davao del Sur will also organize Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines, making it the first local government outside Cebu to replicate the event.

The central event which targets 7,500 participants, surpassing the 5,000 target last year, will be held in an eight-hectare forestland in Jaclupan, Talisay City. The area will be planted with 20,000 native tree seedlings and will be developed into a forest model through a co-management agreement among Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Cebu Provincial Government, Talisay City government, and RAFI.

This year’s Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines targets to plant 220,000, doubling last year’s target of 100,000, native tree seedlings all over Cebu Province.

The event has two segments—the run, which includes a three-kilometer run to the planting site, and the planting, which requires each participant to plant two native tree seedlings. It promotes a healthy lifestyle by running and environment conservation by planting native tree species that will become vibrant forests in the next few years.

For the central event, assembly time and area will be at 5 a.m. at the junction of Pacific Heights and Vista Grande. The run starts at 6 a.m. while the planting is at 7 a.m. While drinking stations will be provided, runners should bring their own water bottles for there will be no plastic cups to avoid litter.

Registration, which is for free, ends on June 23.

Interested individuals or groups can inquire and register at the following registration centers: SM City Cebu lower ground floor, Ayala Center Cebu Active Zone, Cebu Provincial Capitol PENRO Office, Talisay City Hall at the office of Councilor Bernard Odilao, University of the Philippines Cebu College Arts and Sciences Building, University of San Jose-Recoletos Main Campus, University of San Carlos Main Campus Supreme Student Council Office, USC North Campus Information Center, USC Talamban Campus College of Architecture and Fine Arts, University of the Visayas Main Campus Arts and Sciences Building, St. Theresa’s College Student Affairs Office, Metropolitan Cebu Water District, and RAFI Main Office at Lopez Jaena Street, Cebu City.

Official Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines shirts are sold for P200 each at the designated registration centers. Bulk orders can be made at the event’s official shirt supplier.

Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines is held annually every last Saturday of June, which celebrates Environmental Month.

Last year, it went beyond its targeted number of participants and seedlings planted. It enabled the 48 towns and component cities of Cebu province to gather 55,372 participants to plant 239,580 native trees in 115 hectares. The seedlings planted maintain an average survival rate of 89 percent.

This event is in line with the national government’s National Greening Program and tied to the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Billion Trees Program under NGP.

Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines 2012 is organized in collaboration with the Cebu Provincial Government, Aboitiz Equity Venture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, DILG, Talisay City local government unit and other LGUs in Cebu, and various government and private institutions.

Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines, one of the components of GREENIN Philippines program, is a fun run and planting activity that provides a venue for every Filipino to contribute in rehabilitating and protecting our environment with the goal of bringing back the country’s forest cover.

GREENIN Philippines Program, which stands for Generation REdemption and Expansion of Natural resources INitiatives in the Philippines Program, is one of the programs under RAFI’s Integrated Development focus area. It aims to replicate best practices in environmental protection, conservation, and rehabilitation to more places in the country for a greener Philippines. RAFI’s other focus areas are Micro-finance &Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage, and Education.

For more information about Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines, please contact 418-7234 loc. 515 and look for Vince Tabuñag, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.  (FREEMAN)