Group encourages youth to help make PH greener

FREEPORT --- A leader of an organization belonging to the Roman Catholic said it is important to encourage the youth to participate in the campaign of making the country greener.

Sister Cynthia V. Lagaso, director of the Franciscan Immaculate Sisters Vocation Club (FisVoc), expressed this in her letter to Retired Colonel Agerico Amagna, Chief of the Veterans Memorial and Historial Division of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).

Lagaso requested Amagna to allow the FISVoc youth conduct a tree planting inside the Capas National Shrine (CNS).

Through Engineer Darwin Campo, the religious group, along with youth from Tarlac, Bataan and Cavite, yesterday planted several seedlings of Bignay Plants at the open space of the shrine compound.

Lagaso cited the advocacy of the Inter-Franciscan Commission on Youth Philippines entitled "Every Juan can make a change! Juan for all and all for Juan."

She also mentioned Juan to Tree, a tree-planting drive in response to 500 years of Christianity and Laudato Si's platform.

Juan to Tree aims to make the country greener by encouraging the youth to organize a tree planting, according to Lagaso.

Campo thanked the Franciscan Immaculate Sister and the FISVoc youth who came all the way from Novaliches in Quezon City.

The shrine curator said that some 11,600 assorted trees were planted inside the CNS compound in honor and memory of the 25,000 Filipino and 6,000 American soldiers who died in the camp during World War 2.

Campo said they are targeting to plant a total of 31,000 trees around the shrine.

FREEPORT – Hopes for the Philippines to have its own vaccines made in the country remain alive as the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) is supporting the COVID-19 vaccine factory in the country.

“We are keen to produce the vaccine here (Philippines),” says MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) during the recent 3rd Quarter Earnings Report of PLDT where he also serves as its chairman.

The announcement was made over a video teleconference platform attended by media members from Luzon, VIsayas and Mindanao when MVP was asked by this writer.

“This is something that Metro Pacific will support,” Pangilinan , MPIC Chairman, said.

He clarified however that the plan is still on “exploratory stage” as he said that the proponent still has to get government approval.

“Of course we have to manufacture vaccines as approved by our government… So, we have told them to get government approval before we can proceed to support the project. So as of now, I have not heard if they got government approval,” he added.

In news reports early this year, MPIC was said to have been asked to support the vaccine factory that is being planned to be put up inside Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

MPIC is a publicly listed company that is into infrastructure, toll road operation, water and power, healthcare, logistics and other prime businesses. (NGT)