COTABATO CITY — The Office of Civil Defense in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OCD-ARMM) and the local government of Parang, Maguindanao joined hands Tuesday in planting 100 Mahogany and Antipolo tree seedlings on the municipality’s 500-hectare Macasandag watershed.
The watershed area, covering most of Barangay Macasandag, is the main source of water for both domestic and agricultural uses of the municipality, traversed by the Kumagingking, Ambal, Kamaran, Libuan, Simuay, and Nituan rivers – all leading towards Illana Bay in the northern side.
“The tree seedlings were provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – ARMM,” OCD-ARMM Director Raylindo Aniñon told newsmen here Wednesday.
He said the activity was in conjunction with July’s celebration of the National Disaster Resilience Month under the theme, “Katatagan sa Kalamidad ay Makakamtan Kapag Sapat ang Kaalaman sa Kahandaan”.
The tree planting site was identified by Parang Mayor Ibrahim Ibay, who underscored that the planting of new hardwood tree species would prevent soil erosion at the Macasandag watershed.
Other activity participants were DENR-ARMM, the Parang Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Department of Health-ARMM, the Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade, and the Youth Development Alliance of Parang. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
