ILOILO CITY -- About 20,000 mangrove seedlings were planted in a 20-hectare plantation in Barangay San Carlos, Anilao on Saturday to highlight the celebration of the 48th Earth Day in Iloilo province.
A coastal clean-up was also carried out simultaneously in the same plantation for the Action for Re-greening and Transformation for Climate Change Adaptation (ART for CCA) program of the Provincial Government.
Nearly 600 people from the Provincial Capitol, government agencies, non-government organizations, business sectors and other stakeholders took part during the Saturday's "green" activities.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. together with the regional directors of the different government agencies and local officials led the tree planting and clean-up activity.
In his speech, Defensor lauded the participants who gave their precious time to plant mangroves and clean the coastal plantation to save the environment.
He said that the country is currently facing a "very serious" problem because of global warming and climate change.
He then encouraged the participants to continue to take part in a certain cause that further protect and preserve the environment.
Under the ART for CCA program of the provincial government, the province is annually aiming to plant 1.5 million trees in the different areas in the province. (PNA)