The Western Command (WESCOM) launched its Tree Seedling Bank in an effort to scale up its efforts by collaborating with various stakeholders in the rehabilitation of the province’s denuded forests as a result of Supertyphoon Odette.
WESCOM planned to grow and nurture 50,000 seedlings in the facility.
A multipartite memorandum of agreement was also signed between WESCOM, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), Provincial Environment and National Resources Office (PENRO), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Agriculture (DA) and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) to ensure the sustainability of the program.
PPSRNP manager Elizabeth Maclang told Palawan News that WESCOM signified to help them in the rehabilitation of two million trees within the national park affected by the recent calamity.
“Maliban sa seedlings, magpoprovide din sila ng manpower as part of our collaboration,” she said.
A symbolic tree planting activity was also conducted in front of WESCOM’s main building as part of the program.
Earlier, high ranking officials of the military forces from other countries who have visited the command were also asked to plant trees in support of the project.
“I admire and commend the members of Team WESCOM for leveling up its commitment to the environment from the usual tree planting activities to a complete and far-reaching initiative of tree growing and nurturing. You have done common things for the environment uncommonly well”, said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)Assistant Secretary for Integrated Environmental Science Dr. Joan A. Lagunda who also attended the event.
The activity also coincides to the 47th founding anniversary of the Western Command.
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