Run 2 Plant set

Putting its GREENIN Philippines program’s advocacies into action, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) will hold “Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines” on June 25 in commemoration of the Philippine Environment Month and World Environment Day in June.

The run and plant event is organized in collaboration with the Cebu provincial government’s Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (eGWEN) Our Cebu program, local government units (LGUs), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), various government institutions and corporate groups.

Neil Papas, program coordinator of GREENIN Philippines, said “the event has two segments, the running and the planting. This event is an approach to promote health among people by running and health of the environment by planting native tree species.”

The central event will be held in a 30-hectare forestland in barangay Jaclupan, Talisay City. The area, which is within the Mananga watershed, will be developed into a forest model by the DENR, Cebu provincial government, Talisay City government, Metro Cebu Water District and RAFI.

The other 50 municipalities and component cities of the Cebu province will simultaneously hold the Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines in their respective jurisdictions.

Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia has recently issued an executive order, mandating the implementation and institutionalization of the Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines throughout the province.

The Run 2 Plant targets to plant 160,000 native tree species simultaneously all over Cebu on the said date.

“The activity does not end on June 25. The Cebu provincial government and RAFI will undertake post-planting activities in collaboration with DENR, various LGUs, partners and volunteers to ensure that the native tree seedlings planted will grow,” Papas said.

The GREENIN Philippines Program stands for Generation REdemption and Expansion of Natural Resources INitiatives in the Philippines Program, which seeks to develop, protect, enhance and co-manage denuded forestlands, brush lands and degraded residual natural forests by planting native tree species.

For more information about the event, contact Neil Papas or Myryl Mendoza at 4187234 local 515.