By Katya A. Santos
May 20, 2019
Puerto Princesa City
The Church in Palawan hits its target of planting 10,000 trees at the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape, in Southern Palawan.
According to the Bishop Socrates Mesiona of the Vicariate of Puerto Princesa, based on initial assessment as of May this year, they have already planted more than 10,000 trees in different project sites in Brookes Point, Palawan.
“It is a continual planting program among the Pala’wans, our partner indigenous peoples, since August last year,” explained the prelate.
A response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, the project of the vicariate to plant 10,000 trees in a year is being implemented through the help of the Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines-Indigenous Peoples Mission (AMP-IM).
Sr. Mae Juanitas of AMP-IM explained some trees that did not survive because of the weather and other factors are always replaced to ensure that the target is really achieved.
Beto Calman, one of the IP leaders, said the project of the Church is a “big help.”
“It helps us to make sure that our culture is preserved because taking care of the environment is part of our Pala’wans’ culture,” he explained in Filipino.
The Church is still set to validate the actual number of surviving trees, said Mesiona.
Source: http://cbcpnews.net
