Foundation helps save narra tree from extinction
Employees of the different companies under the King's Group of Companies (KGC) gathered in September to help save the nearly extinct Narra tree (Red Sandalwood).
Spearheaded by the Juanito I. King Foundation, Inc. (JIKFI), the group planted around 2,500 saplings in Barangay Pamutan, Cebu City. Those who joined the tree planting activity were employees of Juanito King & Son, Inc. (JKSI), King’s Quality Foods, Inc. (KQFI), Nito’s Auto Supply, Inc. (NASI), Nito’s International Ventures, Inc. (NIVI), 6R Group of Companies, RDAK Transport Equipment, Inc., J. Nitton Development Corp. (JNDC), Athecor Land, and Acropolisland.
The Narra is the Philippine national tree, and classified as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conversation of Nature. According to clinical studies conducted by Dr. Chuchi Quijano of Mactan, the Narra tree lowers blood sugar levels of persons with diabetes mellitus, and alleviates inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis as well. Indeed, the medicinal and national significance of the Narra tree should not be discounted.
In his address to the participants of the annual KGC tree planting activity, Mr. Kenneth Raymund H. King, Executive Director of JIKFI remarked, “We may not be able to witness the full growth of the trees we planted, but we are all assured of the future’s welfare, all because we gave a little of ourselves today.”
Since 2002, JIKFI commits 2,500 seedlings annually to the reforestation project for Central Cebu’s Protected Landscape in partnership with KGC and Philippine Business for Social Progress.
The 80 percent success in the previous planting and harvesting of fruit bearing saplings such as sour sop (Guyabano), sugar apple (Atis), and coffee has benefited not only the environment, but local communities as well with employment opportunities and additional income.
To date, KGC’s campaign for sustainable environmental practices and preservation of natural resources spearheaded by JIKFI has covered more than 15 hectares of adopted forest, with more than 60,000 seedlings planted.