Malungonian-TreeVolutionists join Mindanao’s quest to conquer India’s best

AFP plant trees while on guard to secure thousands of Sarangani ‘TreeVolutionists’ – Army 1002nd brigade commander Col. Ronnie Villanueva raises his 00001-numbered wristband, as he comes first on Friday’s (September 26) early dawn registration of 2, 500 volunteer-planters in the DENR-lead greening project dubbed as “TreeVolution: Greening MindaNow” in Brgy. San Miguel, Malungon, Sarangani Province. Aside of planting trees, soldiers stress ample security assistance to volunteers that were tasked to plant near the Davao Del Sur-Sarangani border. (JoJo Gocotano -MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

All set to countdown – (L-R) Municipal Councilor Mariano ‘Jun’ Escalada, OIC Cenro Ma. Elvira Lumayag, Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon and Mayor Reynaldo ‘Bong’ Constantino gesture with confidence, as the countdown for Mindanao’s bid to outcast India’s highest score of planted trees in an hour, comes in the offing. Reports said 2, 500 Malungonian “TreeVolutionists” in Sarangani Province have able to plant 50, 000 tress in a hundred-hectare wide CADC reservation site during the September 26 event. (Isagani Palma – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

‘TreeVolution’ front liners –Glan town OIC Cenro Ma. Elvira Lumayag, Municipal Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino and Sagittarius Mines community relations manager JoJo Joson share a light moment in one of Brgy. San Miguel’s crests, as the LGU’s chief executive oversees the deployment of more or less 2, 500 volunteer planters on Friday’s (September 26) Department of Environment and Natural Resources-lead mass greening project dubbed as “TreeVolution: Greening MindaNow” in Malungon, Sarangani Province. (Isagani Palma/ Mio-Malungon).

A new birth of dawn against global warming - The first couple, Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino and better half Roselyn, with municipal treasurer Ninfa Figueroa (right), race with time in a bid to plant more rubber seedlings during the one hour "Treevolution" greening event Friday (Sept. 26) in Brgy. San Miguel, Malungon, Sarangani Province .”(Isagani P. Palma – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

LGU, Media TreeVolutionists – Press people, LGU dept heads and workers lead by municipal treasurer Ninfa Figueroa (front left), Assessor’s Office chief Honeylene Guilley-Tuyogon and CSC’s Arlene Guilley (far right) pose for a memento shot during the Friday (September 26) held DILG-led reforestation activity dubbed as "TreeVolution: Greening MindaNow" in Brgy. San Miguel, Malungon, Sarangani Province. (JoJo Gocotano – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

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Malungonian-TreeVolutionists join Mindanao’s quest to conquer India’s best

by ISAGANI P. PALMA

MALUNGON, Sarangani Province – Local gov’t officials and DENR’s Community environment and natural resources personnel led about 3, 000 local government workers, employees from various national agencies, NGOs, army reservists, firemen and soldiers belonging to the Army’s 1002nd Infantry Brigade at early dawn on Friday (September 26) to take part in Sarangani’s quest to support Mindanao’s bid to beat India’s record of most planted trees, worldwide.

DENR’s OIC-Cenro Ma. Elvira V. Lumayag said clustered into 50 teams with fifty members each, Malungon town’s 2, 500 volunteer planters were joined by more or less 250 technical working personnel comprised of photographers, videographers, marshals, medics, time keepers, group stewards, and volunteer media practitioners in trekking the slippery road toward the town’s highest peak in sitios Malatuay and Patonik, all of Barangay San Miguel – in a bid to compete the ’60 –minute’ (one hour) tree planting challenge.

Provincial information officer Serafin ‘Jun’ Ramos said aside from Malungon town that was tasked to plant 50, 000 rubber tree seedlings in a hundred-hectare wide ancestral domain (CADC), some 1, 072 planters have also planted 23, 719 seedlings at a 50-hectare hilly potion of sitio Kapyawe in Alabel town; 50 hectares in Barangay Katubao, Kiamba, and another 50 hectares in Barangay Lumasal, Maasim, all of Sarangani Province. About 250 hectares all over Sarangani were completely covered by the TreeVolution project, he said.

As to this writing, the unified effort billed as TreeVolution: Greening MindaNow have already reportedly gone beyond India’s best of planting 1.9 million trees within an hour in 2011, which made the latter a consistent holder of the Genesis Book of World Record in the past more or less three years. 

Mindanao officials from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), under the direct supervision of the Environment Department, sighted to plant 4.6 million tress of various kind in 9, 200 hectares in an aim to combat the ill effects of global warming and climate change, and to make a new mark for Mindanao in the world records. 

Mindanao’s TreeVolutionists implanted a total of 3, 373, 762 tress during the said event, a reliable source said.

In a recently held media interview, Mindanao Development Authority chair Luwalhati Ricasa-Antonino said she is now awaiting for the final result and judgment of GBWR, for Mindanao to officially achieve its much desired title of having the most planted tress in a hour which is far beyond India’s then undefeated feat.

Actual Planting

The event's local government overseer, Malungon town Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino almost lost a voice during the height of the 'pressured time' as he unrelentingly dispatches the command over a hand held radio, for other groups to reinforce the ranks of those unfinished clusters. 

1205th (Arescom) reservists that were posted in a much clearer and strategic positions as planned, completed the chore of planting 20 seedlings each and begun to regroup and reinforce in just a matter of seven (7) minutes, since the green signal was up at exactly 8:30a.m. 

The Army’s 1002nd Brigade infantries led by its brigade Cmdr. Colonel Ronnie Villanueva took post at the farthest (cluster 01) site near the Davao Del Sur and Sarangani border, purposely, not only to plant trees but likewise serve as security forces to the Treevolution volunteers.

"Aside of the (participants) dedication and cohesive efforts, I also believe that the earlier made dry run have helped a lot for Malungonians to hit the targeted number of must be planted seedlings ahead of time," Constantino who was in high spirit, was quoted of saying during a series of on ground journalists and live radio calls right after the event. 

Officials said the well-soaked soil that was caused by consistent rain showers in the area evenly helped planters to plant quicker than what has been expected.

The greening advantage

Constantino said the mass planting of rubber trees at the then 100 hectare-wide idle land will not only refurbish denuded forest, but likewise boost the municipality’s economic stance in the years to come. “This will not only help poor farmers in terms of income, but for sure assist every poor child to go on with their studies and other educational aspirations, due of consistent support and assistance that will be provided by the national government in upkeep the greening project.”

Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon, who preferred to join the Malungonians since the countdown to finish, said the smoothly performed undertaking was a lucid display of unity and cooperation, which played vital rule in the currently seen progressive stance of the municipality. 

San Miguel Brgy. Captain Rizalina T. Aznar is also optimistic that extra income awaits land owners, maintainers and chosen stewards that will be task by DENR to protect, maintain and work for the tress to grow.

Aside from Environment Department staffs, Constantino also created a group of local-based organizers for said activity composed by the municipal planning and development officer (MPDO) Nonito Nunez, Mun. Councilor Mariano ‘Jun’ Escalada, and LGU Engr. Rodrigo Palec. 

Meanwhile, a planter-participant named as certain Dondon Sotto, 36 years old, and resident of Barangay JP Laurel was immediately rushed for medication at a nearby hospice after he was hit by one of the trucks in convoy.

Sotto was sitting at the rear side of one of the vehicles in convoy en route to the planting site at around 4:00 a.m. when his leg was smashed by a leading truck who lost control upon reaching an ascending slippery road in sition Pag-asa which is located several kilometers from the planting site. He is now out of danger. Some participants reportedly fainted while on way back to the camp site, but have immediately recovered. (MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).