The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 joined the National Simultaneous Bamboo and Tree Planting Activity, on September 13, 2023, coinciding with the birthday celebration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

A total of 8.925 hectares with a total of five hundred forty-five (545) bamboo culms/seedlings and one thousand eight hundred forty (1,840) seedlings of different tree species were planted by a total of four hundred fifty-one (451) participants coming from the DENR-PENRO/CENRO personnel, other National Government Agencies, Local Government Units, academe, communities, and private groups across the six provinces of the Region namely, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental.

The Provincial ENR Office of Aklan spearheaded the activity together with a total of seventy-five (75) participants planted fifty (50) bamboo seedlings, and two hundred five (205) Mountain Agoho at 1-hectare area located at Brgy. Rivera, Ibajay, Aklan.

In the Antique province, the Community ENR Office (CENRO) Belison with twenty-eight (28) participants planted two hundred (200) Kawayan Tinik seedlings/cuttings at the 1-hectare area of Brgy. Atabay, San Remigio, Antique. While the CENRO Culasi planted five hundred (500) Narra seedlings along the 1-hectare area of Brgy. Magsaysay, Culasi, Antique together with the thirty (30) participants.

 DENR-PENRO Capiz also spearheaded the planting of one hundred (100) Bamboo seedlings, one hundred (100) Acacia seedlings, one hundred (100) Banilad seedlings, and two hundred (200) Mahogany seedlings that were planted by the 137 participants along the 2-hectares area of Catao Dam Watershed Area, Brgy. Sta. Cruz to Brgy. Cudian, Ivisan, Capiz.

 PENRO Guimaras conducted a tree planting activity at 0.125 hectares area located at Brgy. Tanglad, Sibunag, Guimaras where twenty-four (24) participants planted twenty-five (25) bamboo seedlings. They also joined the bamboo and planting activity led by the Marcos Pa Rin (MPR) National Group Organization, a group of supporters of the President, at the 0.5-hectare area of Sitio Tibuason, Brgy. Ayangan, Sibunag, Guimaras with a total of eighty seven (87) participants planted fifteen (15) Kawayan Tinik Bamboo seedlings, eighty (80) Rain tree, eighty (80) Batuan seedlings, and seventy-five (75) Chestnut seedlings.

For the CENRO Guimbal, in the province of Iloilo a total of twenty-five (25) participants planted a total of one hundred (100) Bamboo culms along the 1-hectare area at Brgy. Dagami, Maasin, Iloilo.

The PENRO Negros Occidental together with the twenty-eight (28) participants planted five hundred (500) Indigenous Tree species (Uding, Bitanghol, White Bakan, and Yakal) along the 1.3-hectare area at Spur 21, Brgy. Kumaliskis, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental. While the CENRO Cadiz with seventeen (17) participants planted fifty-five (55) Giant Bamboo seedlings at the 1-hectare area located at Sitio Hiyang-hiyang, Brgy. Celestino, Villacin, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

The tree planting activity was made to give emphasis to the importance of bamboo and tree species in our daily lives and to support the development of the Green and Blue Economy as President Marcos mentioned.

“This celebration is not just a simple tree or bamboo planting activity, this serves as a reminder for all of us that we are connected to each other. We need bamboo and trees for oxygen and in return we exhale carbon dioxide that they need,” said DENR 6 Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran.

“Let us all be reminded that it’s the bamboos, the trees, the environment, and the people that we are prioritizing,” he added.

Furthermore, as part of the Philippine Bamboo Month Celebration the PENRO Iloilo together with 140 participants planted 140 Cacao, 10 Kawayan Tinik, 10 Chinese Bamboo, 25 Pine Trees at the 0.5 hectares area of Brgy. Bucari, Leon on September 15, 2023, CENRO Sara with 53 participants, planted 150 Kawayan Tinik at the 1 hectare area at Brgy. San Jose, Lemery, Iloilo on September 18, 2023, and the CENRO Barotac Nuevo with 45 participants planted a total of 100 Bamboo cuttings at the Riverbanks of Janiuay, all in the Province of Iloilo. While, CENRO Kabankalan in the province of Negros Occidental together with 101 participants planted a total of 204 Kawayan Tinik at the 1-hectare of Brgy. Pinggot, Ilog, Negros Occidental on September 18, 2023.

In totality, the DENR 6 together with a total of seven hundred and ninety (790) participants had planted one thousand and nineteen (1,019) bamboo seedlings and two thousand and five (2,005) tree seedlings at the 12.425 hectares area across.