CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (PIA) - - Thousands of environmental protection advocates and stakeholders from the different parts of the province participated in planting bamboo propagules along the riverbanks as part of the celebration of Philippine Environment Month yesterday (June 8).

The activity was led by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and participated by the police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Army soldiers, Local Government employees, barangay officials, students, and several other sectors.

Raquel Caldez,  information officer, said over 1,000 persons planted 3,507 bamboo propagules along the identified riverbanks while 600 seedlings of narra and molave were also planted in other identified sites during the nationwide bamboo tree planting activity. 

She said the activity was simultaneously conducted in 25 planting sites provincewide particularly in Barangays Bunnay & Ingud in Angandanan; Annafunan in Echague; Bucal Norte in Dinapigue, Palanan and Maconacon; Buenavista, San Rafael and Quinagabian in Sta Maria, Masipi West in Cabagan; Calaguran Sur, Calanigan Norte and Calinaoan in Sto Tomas; Fugu Norte, Sur and Abajo in Tumauini; San Nicolas, San Antonio, San Jose, Ragan Sur, Ragan Almacen, and Ragan Norte in Delfin Albano; Cabisera 8 San Antonio in City of Ilagan; and Sto Domingo in Quirino.

“The bamboo planting sites were selected as part of the flood mitigation measures under Executive Order No. 12 or the Task Force Build Back Better and the Intensified Watershed Management of the Protected Area. The areas planted will help in riverbank stabilization, flood mitigation and soil erosion protection,” Caldez said.

Meanwhile, Isabela Police Provincial Office - Police Community Affairs and Development Unit (IPPO-PCADU) Chief Lt. Col. Michael Aydoc requested, during the bamboo tree planting activity in barangay Sto. Domingo, Quirino town, to provide them an area to plant (OTB/MGE/PIA Isabela)