Army leads children’s tree planting activity

SOCIAL DUTY --- A girl and a soldier of the Army's 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion plant a tree during the Army-led tree growing program in Barangay Kabengi, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao last September 28.  Other soldiers (inset) joined the village residents in their clean-up drive. (PHOTO COURTESY OF 1ST MIB / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

CAMPO SIONGCO, Maguindanao  -- The Army’s 1st Mechanized Battalion (MIB)  spearheaded last September 29 a tree planting activity to help educate the children about the value of planting a tree for their future in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town of this province.

Dubbed as “Plant Trees, Plant Hope Program,” soldiers of the 1st MIB and the local government of Datu Saudi Ampatuan initiated the activity in the vicinity of Barangay Kabengi.

“This is in support of the national greening program of the government,” said Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander.

The 6th ID has operational jurisdiction over the 1st MIB, whose headquarters is stationed in nearby Ampatuan municipality of the same province.

A total of 400 non-fruit bearing trees were planted during the activity which was also participated in by police and the locals who voluntarily came after learning of the tree planting program.

The activity came a day after elements of 1st MIB, as part of the unit’s social responsibility, participated in the clean-up drive along the barangay road of Kabengi.

“It aims to keep the environment free of trash and help in the protection and preservation of surroundings,” Carreon said.

The Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion also participated in the three-hour activity.

Other participating partners included the local government unit of Datu Saudi Ampatuan; the Land Bank of the Philippines-General Santos City Accounting Center; the local chapter of the Youth for Peace Movement and elementary pupils. (EDWIN FERNANDEZ, PNA – COTABATO / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)