Tuburan plants for greener Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - To grow forests that will protect their municipality from floods and landslides, as well as provide food and habitat to its local wildlife, the residents of the Municipality of Tuburan joined Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines 2012 last June 30.

The 4,063 participants from the 35 barangays of Tuburan planted 19,323 native tree seedlings, surpassing last year’s 16,284 seedlings.

Their participation is also in response to the executive order issued by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia that mandated all local government units in the Province of Cebu to participate in the running and planting event.

Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines 2012 simultaneously ran in the 51 towns and component cities of Cebu Province, with the central event held in Barangay Jaclupan, Talisay City. The more than 15,000 participants in Jaclupan were able to plant around 11,000 native tree seedlings.

This year, Davao del Sur, Davao City, and Compostela Valley also organized their own Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines, making these areas the first local government units outside Cebu to replicate the event.

 Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines 2012 was organized in collaboration with the Cebu Provincial Government, Aboitiz Equity Venture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Interior and Local Government, 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 the 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 address environmental problems by undertaking initiatives for the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of our country’s forests. RAFI’s other focus areas are Micro-finance &Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.

For more information about the GREENIN Philippines Program, please contact 418-7234 loc. 515 and look for Myryl Mendoza, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph. - THE FREEMAN