Mangrove planting as tribute to teachers

A telecommunications company honored engineering teachers of the Holy Name University (HNU) with ‘Treebute’, a mangrove planting activity in Maribojoc, a coastal town in Bohol.

Employees of Smart Communications Inc. from Bohol and Cebu were joined by HNU students and teachers during the activity held as part of the Teacher’s Month campaign, leading up to World Teacher’s Day last Oct. 5.

‘Treebute’ started with a recognition of the teachers, followed by the recital of the prayer for teachers and a briefing on the importance of mangroves in the sustainability of the marine ecosystem before the planting of  5,000 mangrove propagules.

University professor Justin Villocido thanked Smart for honoring teachers and for providing them an opportunity to bond with students.

Environment and Natural Resources forester Basilides Orioque said the activity was aligned with President Aquino’s national greening program that seeks to plant 1.5 billion seedlings in 1.5 million hectares of public lands in the country.

Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jun Echavia thanked Smart and HNU for choosing Maribojoc as the site of their mangrove planting.  Only about two hectares of Maribojoc have been planted with mangroves.

Mangroves provide shelter and food to marine creatures and protect coastal residents from storms and typhoons.