Some 41 senior high school students of the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod City led the mangrove-planting and coastal cleanup at the Tomongtong Mangrove Eco-Trail in E. B. Magalona, Negros Occidental on Nov. 25.
The activity was organized by the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) Council of the Liceo Student Government led by its governor Maia Lianza Malacon, daughter of Mayor Marvin Malacon.
The participants included Grades 11 and 12 students and 13 faculty members.
They were also joined by staff and volunteers of the Office of 3rd District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez as well as officials and members of the Tomongtong Barangay Council, Tomongtong Mangrove Eco-Trail Women Workers’ Assocation, and Tomongtong Fisherfolks Association.
Officers and members of the Association of Tourism Workers of Negros Occidental, who earlier conducted a separate Christmas sharing activity for beneficiaries in Tomongtong, also joined them.
Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer-designate Jojo Vargas said the participants planted about 300 mangrove seedlings.
Vargas said the students were oriented on the importance of mangroves in the shoreline and in the marine ecosystem, as well as how to properly plant mangrove seedlings.
Representing his father, executive assistant Matthew Louis Malacon expressed appreciation to the USLS students for initiating the activity and thanked all the participants for spending their weekend doing a worthwhile activity.
He also thanked the fisherfolk and women workers for their collective effort in making the eco-trail an emerging tourist destination.
His sister, Maia Lianza, said she suggested to the ABM Student Council to hold a mangrove-planting and cleanup drive at the Tomongtong eco-trail.
“I wanted to shine light on the beauties of the municipality to allow the public to discover the ‘hidden gem’ of Negros. We also took this as an opportunity to teach our fellow Ka-ABMs the importance of gaining awareness on our corporate environmental responsibility as future entrepreneurs,” she added.
The activity was held also as part of the 19th Provincial Wildlife Month celebration. ||
