BALO-I, Lanao del Norte (PIA)--With the main goal of nurturing Mother Earth and promoting a greener environment for a healthier tomorrow, the 55th Engineer “Mobilizer” Brigade of the Philippine Army (PA) led Saturday, November 13, a tree planting activity at the watershed area of National Power Corporation’s (NPC’s) Agus 5.

A total of 200 assorted tree seedlings were planted consisting of Bayok, Bolong-eta, Hambabalud, Himbaba-o, Kalokoi, Magtangali, Malugai, Molave, Narra and Pagsahingin.

Brigade’s TSG Celso Bantolo said the activity is part of their advocacy for nature while likewise pursuing development for their personnel.

“Ang essence ng ating [The essence of our] tree planting is we have environmental protection that individual personnel should commit through clean-up drive, tree planting, etc,” he said. 

Baloi Councilor Jamaloding Usman Mamad, who is the chair of the municipality's Committee on Finance and Appropriations, conveyed the municipal government's eagerness to participate as it recognized how significant and timely this is in their fight for nature preservation,  considering its contribution in the future.

'Nagparticipate ang LGU ng Balo-i because we all know na kapag ganitong programa o activity, ang tree planting, marami at malaki ang maitutulong sa ating kalikasan. Ito iyong pangontra natin sa baha at ibang mga kalamidad na darating in the future,” he said.

[The LGU of Balo-i participated because we all know that with this kind of program or activity, tree planting, our environment receives a lot and significant help. This is our defense against flash floods and other calamities which will occur in the future.]  

Meanwhile, the NPC which has been known to be a partner of the PA also joined in the activity seeing the environment needing more help from humanity.

It further urged the citizenry to protect the environment, most particularly the matter of cutting trees, as this plays a critical role in everyone’s day-to-day living.

“We would like to encourage all the Filipino citizens especially sa [in] Iligan City at [and] Balo-i, Lanao del Norte na [that] we should take care of our Mother Nature at ang ating mga puno. Hindi natin dapat putulin kung wala namang saysay na pagputol [and our trees. Let us not cut them if the cutting is just for nonsense reasons]. Keep nature clean and healthy,” said the corporation’s Hydroelectric Power Plant Complex Agus 4 and 5 Senior Security Officer Karl Mulig.

With the successful conduct of the event, Bantolo expressed his gratitude to their partner stakeholders who poured their support and committed to partake in the brigade’s future events.

Among those who joined the activity were the brigade’s Multi-Sector Advisory Board (MSAB) members, the NPC’s security force, and 16 volunteer youths from the municipality. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Norte)