ANGELES CITY — Employees of the city government have participated in a tree planting activity at the Barangay Sapangbato watershed here, planting 400 mixed fruit-bearing trees.
This is part of the city’s celebration of Indigenous People’s Month, according to Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr., who spearheaded the activity.
With Lazatin during the tree planting activity are Chief Adviser IC Calaguas, Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, Gender and Development Officer-in-Charge Mina Cabiles, Mayor’s Office Records Section Head Jermaine Jam Aguila, Angeles City Tourism Officer-in-Charge Anneleen Antonio-Sugui, Mayor’s Office Senior Staff Sharmaine Gonzales, Alain Carlo Merano, and Von Ryan Sugui, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer-in-Charge Archimedes Lazatin, and staff from City Administrator’s Office, Angeles City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, and City Information Office.
Also present were Renato “Abong” Tayag and Sonny Dobles, president and vice president respectively of the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council Inc.
Mayor Lazatin recognizes the significant contribution of IPs in the development of the society, particularly in preserving the watershed.
In fact, among the 31 stewards serving as caretakers of the watershed are members of the Aeta tribes from Sitio Babo, Target, and Bliss. They are receiving ₱3,000 monthly honoraria from the city government for the after-care monitoring of the seedlings being planted.
According to Cabiles, the said activity is also in line with the flagship program of Mayor Lazatin for the environment, especially the full reforestation of the watershed being supervised by Calaguas.
Apart from the tree planting, some 313 Aeta families are also to receive ₱2,000 worth of kabuhayan assistance, food packages, evaporated and condensed milk, seedlings, and facemasks.
