Earth Day planting boosts greening efforts in Aurora

𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐍 𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎 – Around 3,000 native and fruit-bearing seedlings were planted in Aurora on Earth Day, contributing to ongoing greening and reforestation efforts in the province through a joint initiative of the DENR, the Office of the Vice President (OVP), and various government workers.

The tree-growing activity was conducted in a 1.5-hectare National Greening Program site managed by DENR to help strengthen reforestation and environmental protection efforts in the province while bringing together government workers and communities for a shared cause.

The activity also supports the OVP’s broader environmental initiative to plant one million trees along the Sierra Madre, reinforcing collective action to address climate change and conserve biodiversity.

Dingalan Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jimmy Aberin said the agency continues to encourage the public to take part in tree-growing efforts, emphasizing that planting should be followed by sustained care.

“This initiative reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure the survival and long-term growth of the seedlings through proper care, monitoring, and maintenance,” Aberin said.

He added that planting is only the first step and that consistent nurturing is necessary to achieve meaningful environmental outcomes.

DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo, meanwhile, stressed the importance of involving communities in tree-growing activities not only during Earth Day celebrations but especially during appropriate planting seasons.

“Every tree we grow is a step toward a more resilient and sustainable future. Let us go beyond symbolic acts and commit to sustained action. Our forests protect us from natural hazards, and in the same way, we must protect and restore them,” Pablo said.

Also present during the activity spearheaded by the OVP were representatives from the Provincial Government of Aurora, the local government unit of Maria Aurora, barangay officials of Barangay San Juan, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Sierra Madre Eagle Club, and other non-government organizations.