Koronadal City, South Cotabato, Philippines | The Provincial Government of South Cotabato, through its convergence program on disaster preparedness and environmental protection, spearheaded the planting of 400 trees in Purok Miranda, Barangay Maligo, Polomolok as part of the second wave of its flagship initiative, “From Seed to Safety: Planting Resiliency, One Tree at a Time.”
Of the 400 seedlings planted, 300 were fruit-bearing trees provided by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) while 100 iron bamboo seedlings were donated by Mahintana Foundation, Inc..
Chris Pingkunn Fuentes, Project Development Officer, said the initiative not only aims to restore green cover but also serves as a long-term solution to reduce flooding, soil erosion, and other climate-related risks while opening livelihood opportunities for the community through future harvests.
“This effort is more than just planting trees, it is about planting resilience and hope for communities vulnerable to disasters,” Fuentes said.
The activity was jointly organized by the Convergence Approach for Transformation and Change-Unification Program (CATCH-UP) and the Office of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (OPDRRMO), with the active participation of provincial offices, national government agencies, partner organizations, and residents.
Several provincial offices took part in the planting activity, including the OPG-Executive Staff, OPG-POC, OPG-Inspectorate, OPHRMO, OPSWDO, OPGSO, OPT, OPASS, DILG-South Cotabato, OPVet, PENRO, OPPO, and OPACC, alongside the Barangay Local Government Unit of Maligo and community volunteers of Purok Miranda.
OPENRO consistently advanced South Cotabato’s reforestation and biodiversity initiatives through community-based projects.
In Barangay Lamlahak, Lake Sebu, OPENRO distributed 3,185 rattan seedlings to five community groups.
A rattan enrichment project spanning 14 hectares was also established in Maligo, Polomolok, while an Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) effort successfully monitored 13 hectares with indigenous tree species interplanted with Arabica coffee—demonstrating a sustainable agroforestry approach.
In Barangay Libas, Tantangan, OPENRO maintained a nursery that produced 2,200 Ipil-ipil seedlings for future reforestation efforts.
These long-running initiatives form the backbone of the province’s current campaign, “From Seed to Safety,” which continues to highlight the importance of tree planting in building resilience against climate risks.
