Cong. Mercado leads planting of 3,000 trees

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
August 30, 2007

DANAO TREE PARK,  MAASIN CITY  –  Close to 3,000 seedlings of trees have just been planted on Wednesday in this watershed, eco-tourism park as a fitting birthday celebration of a lawmaker whose entire life revolves around planting trees in words and deeds as a way to offset climate change and global warming, among others.

“We will continue planting trees in this part of Maasin,” Cong. Roger Mercado, the birthday celebrator, declared in an imprumtu program held shortly after the tree-plating activity.

He acknowledged that the lush vegetation in this site was a “product of so many years, developed not by one man or one program, but encompassing all other sectors of society” who had contributed their share in time and effort, making the area beautiful for nature lovers to appreciate and enjoy the natural sights.

Among the tree species planted were Palawan Cherry, Fire Tree, and Acacia Mangium.

Those who joined the activity included local officials from the city, province, and Mayors from the rest of the other towns. Heads of national line government agencies, representatives from the private sector, the NGOs, barangay officials from the city’s 70 barangays, the military, Army reservists, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) also participated actively.

Vice-Governor Mike Maamo earlier cited Cong. Mercado as the counterpart of former US Vice-President Al Gore, who has been touring around the world as a staunch environment advocate.

He stressed that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will allocate for next year’s budget an amount for tree-planting as their way of showing support to the continuing initiative of Cong. Mercado.

City Vice-Mayor Effie Sabandal likewise expressed the city government’s support to the solon’s vision, while City Mayor Maloney Samaco announced that the forthcoming Boy Scouts Regional Jamboree, comprising Regions 7 and 8, will be held in this place in January 2008.

Gov. Damian Mercado, younger brother of the Congressman, also aired an all-out support to the project, as he called on those who had planted to visit the seedlings in the succeeding months to see if those had survived, and replaced those that died.

It was during the term of Gov. Mercado as City Mayor then that the 320 hectare Danao reforestation site was turned over to the city government for further development and maintenance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).