At least 8,520 mangrove propagules were planted Saturday on the coast of Barangay Barangay Talon-Talon as this city joined the country’s Arbor Day celebration.

Dubbed “Arbor Day na Zamboanga”, the planting activity covered an area of 3.4 hectares at the mangrove site owned and managed by the government, through the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR).

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, who led the activity, said some 1,400 participants coming from different local and national government offices as well as from the academe, non-government organizations, and security sector took part in planting mangrove propagules.

“I commend the OCENR for continuously undertaking initiatives to protect and preserve our environment,” Salazar said.

During the activity, a Certificate of Recognition was presented to Edison Delos Reyes, an employee of the OCENR, for his dedication to service even if it almost caused his life.

On May 17, this year, poachers mauled and hacked Delos Reyes whose attention he called while on duty in the mangrove conservation site of the city government in Barangay Talon-Talon.

Arbor Day in the Philippines has been institutionalized to be observed every June 25 throughout the nation by planting trees and ornamental plants and other forms of relevant activities.

Its purpose is to encourage people to plant trees, and many communities traditionally take the opportunity to organize tree-planting and litter-collecting events. (PNA)