Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Phl

CEBU, Philippines - This year's run segment of the "Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN (Generation Redemption and Expansion of Natural Resources Initiatives) Philippines" will be cut to three kilometers to allow more participants, said Rowena Bandola-Alensonorin, executive director of the Integrated Development Unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

Unlike last year's Run 2 Plant wherein participants had to choose to run for 5K, 3K, or 1K, this year will only have 3K to allow more participants, regardless of age, to participate in the running activity.

"Since it's for free, we opt to be stricter in our guidelines this time to avoid people who go there and just watch others do the planting. We've learned from the flaws of the past, so this time we have to embrace new approaches and systems. Also we have to ensure that we limit the activity to only those who are really interested, and make sure the number of participants is proportionate to the planting site's carrying capacity," Alensonorin pointed out during a presscon last May 10.

The event will have two segments - the Run and the Plant - that are designed to promote health among the people and the environment by planting native trees deemed to prevent soil erosion and flashfloods, promote growth of other types of vegetation, and exhibit medicinal properties. A range of native trees can also provide valuable resources for the survival of faunal species like butterflies, birds, geckos, among others, especially the endemic ones.

Participants are to wear green-colored shirts. They are also urged to buy shirts sold at the site at P225 to help nurture eight seedlings or a Run 2 Plant baller at P25 to nurture one seedling.

Interested parties may register as individuals or as an organization by accomplishing authorized and pre-numbered registration forms in designated registration areas and institutions.

Registration forms are available at the RAFI Main Office (35 Lopez Jaena Street, Cebu City) or in designated areas and partner institutions: PENRO-Cebu Provincial Capitol, Talisay City Hall, University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of San Carlos, Active Zone, Ayala Malls-Cebu, and the local government units of the 50 towns and cities of Cebu province.

During the registration, the registrant should fill in the form. After submission, the confirmation slip will be detached and will be given to the registrant which will serve as passes in joining the event. The registrant should keep the confirmation slip since it will be used in claiming the seedlings to be planted during the activity. No confirmation slip, no entry to the site!

The run will start at Pacific Heights Junction (near Vista Grande Clubhouse) at 5 a.m. of June 30 to mark capping of the Environment Month. The runners will have to run three kilometers to the finish line. Runners may drink at the water stations provided every 500-meter distance.

As soon as they reach the finish line, participants have to present their confirmation slips to the registration section. Seedlings will be given to the participants before entering the planting site. Each participating group will have a designated area to plant marked according to the group's color assignment/code. After receiving the seedlings to be planted, participants will enter the planting site. There will be marshals to guide and assist the participants in planting. Holes are already provided in the site.

Participating runners and planters, expected to reach 8,000 this year, will not be required to pay any registration fee. Instead they will be requested to bring in their respective provisions such as snacks and beverages, apart from water, as their counterpart/contribution to the Run 2 Plant activity. Transportation in going to and from the site of the Run 2 Plant activity will also form part of their contribution to the said event.

First implemented on June 25, 2011 in a province-wide simultaneous tree growing activity, the Run 2 Plant enabled 55,372 participants from 48 towns and cities of the Province of Cebu to plant 239,580 native tree seedlings in 115 hectares.

It was also learned that the forests established in these locations maintained an average survival rate of 86 percent. In the Jaclupan (Talisay City) reforestation site, the survival rate of seedlings is 95 percent.

In the central event alone, 10,000 participants planted 12,500 seedlings in a five-hectare timberland located in Talisay City.

To ensure the growth and survival of the native trees seedlings/saplings planted during the event, RAFI has initiated monthly nurturance activities with National Greening Programpartners and GREENIN Philippines volunteers.

This event is in line with the national government's National Greening Program and tied to the Department of Interior and Local Government's Billion Trees Program under NGP.

It is anchored to a bigger and integrated eGWEN (expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures) Our Cebu Program Framework, which is a five-year development program jointly implemented by RAFI and the Provincial Government of Cebu that recognizes the value of environmental protection and enhancement towards a livable Cebu. — (FREEMAN)