COTABATO PROVINCE, September 24 – As part of the ongoing Maritime Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-PENRO) Cotabato, in collaboration with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Matalam, spearheaded a large-scale indigenous tree planting initiative, aiming to bolster the province’s environmental sustainability efforts.

In a powerful show of unity for nature conservation, over 200 participants from diverse government and civic organizations—DENR personnel, PNP, BJMP, AFP, BFP, local government units (BLGUs), Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Offices (MENROs), and GSIS—gathered on two major sites: Barangay New Israel in Makilala and Barangay Bongolanon in Magpet.

A total of 3,500 Narra seedlings were planted in these areas, with 2,500 seedlings covering a 4-hectare site in Bongolanon and 1,000 seedlings spanning a 1-hectare area in New Israel. These simultaneous tree-growing efforts highlight the critical role of indigenous species in restoring biodiversity and mitigating climate change impacts.

This tree-growing initiative not only advances DENR’s commitment to environmental restoration but also aligns with the overarching objectives of MANA Mo, which emphasizes the importance of harmonizing public and private efforts in safeguarding the Philippines’ maritime and archipelagic resources.