BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Residents of a remote upland mountain village in Dupax del Norte town here braved the rains over the week to take part in an ongoing tree planting activity intended to protect the mountain areas from further erosion.
Amid the inclement weather, Friday’s tree planting, part of a series of reforestation activities spearheaded by an Australian-assisted firm Buena Suerte Mining Corp., resulted in the planting of additional 500 mahogany trees along the slopes of the provincial road leading to Barangay Yabbi.
Thousands of forest tree seedlings have already been planted along the said area since the firm launched its tree planting program last year as part of its corporate social responsibility effort to the community and to the environment.
“The tree planting project is especially being conducted to further protect the slopes of the provincial road where we are likewise conducting road widening and re-gravelling for the benefit of the community residents,” said Buena Suerte engineer Oliver Dumeyeg.
Also taking part in the activity were Dupax del Norte Mayor Clarita Epi, community environment and natural resources officer Marcelo Bumidang and Yabbi village chief Tiw-an Pacheco.
“This reforestation activity complements the national government efforts against forest denudation, erosion and climate change,” Bumidang said.
A subsidiary of the Australian-owned Royalco Mining Corp., Buena Suerte, which is also funding several livelihood projects in the area, has been conducting mineral exploration of possible gold and copper deposits in the vicinity of said village.