Danao to host annual Run2Plant

Fifteen thousand mangrove trees are to take roots on the shores of Danao City this Saturday.

Danao will be the host for this year's Run2Plant," an annual advocacy event that engages the public to participate in a simultaneous running and planting of native trees through the province of Cebu."

It is scheduled on September 9 which is the Provincial Tree Planting Day as stipulated in Provincial Ordinance 201303 in celebration of the Osmeña Day.

Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Executive Director Anthony Dignadice shared a study which says that each person generates an average of eight tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Given this, he affirmed that there is a need to lessen the carbon footprint that each person leaves. Planting trees is one way of doing it.

Even if the Danao is hosting the event this year, the other 50 local government units under the province are also ordered to organize their local Run2Plant event.

At least 1,500 runners are estimated to participate in Danao City alone. Among those who will participate in the 3.3 kilometer run and tree planting are local government personnel, private companies, church parishioners, DepEd personnel and other interested individuals.

Since its conception in 2011, the Run2Plant has planted 1,210,751 trees all over the province.

This is blanketing an equivalent of 909.2 hectares of land.

PENRO Senior Environmental Specialist Rodel Bontuyan stated that they want to restore Cebu to what it was when it was still covered in green. He said that to achieve this, their thrust have been changed from planting trees to growing trees.

“There is a need to change strategy from planting to growing trees because the maximum potential of intervention is seen not on merely planting of trees, but to have them growing, thus, focus must also be centered in the regular maintenance and monitoring of the planted seedlings,” Bontuyan shared.

The initiative is now on its 7th year in the hopes to address climate change.