MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – Local officials, policemen, soldiers and residents of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) joined a tree planting activity yesterday aimed at setting a world record.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu and ARMM’s natural resources secretary Kahal Kedtag led the tree planting in four areas here as part of the Mindanao-wide “Treevolution: Greening MindaNow.”
Initiated by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the activity aims to plant more than four million trees and break India’s record of having planted 1,945,535 trees in different locations on Aug. 15, 2011.
MinDA said over two million trees were planted as of 2:45 p.m. yesterday.
ARMM personnel planted trees on idle lands in Pigcalagan area in Sultan Kudarat town while officials of Datu Odin Sinsuat and North Upi led their constituents in planting trees in areas vulnerable to landslides and soil erosion.
Rubber tree seedlings were also planted along the road connecting the Cotabato-General Santos Highway.
Rep. Ruby Sahali and Gov. Nurbert Sahali led the planting of more than 200,000 mangrove and forest trees in the island town of Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi.