VP-Academics Fr. Jorge Peligro, OAR, VP-Student Welfare Fr. Louie Gabinete, OAR, and University Chaplain Fr. Abraham Latoza, OAR, stomped their greening legacies inside UNO-R Campus on February 1 with the planting of premium and rare Philippine tree seedlings – Igem, Amugis, and Almaciga.
Fr. Peligro’s Igem (Dacrycarpus imbricatus) and Fr. Latoza’s Amugis (Koordersiodendron pinnatum) were planted as replacements of the seedlings which died because of snail infestations. On the other hand, Fr. Gabinete’s Almaciga (Agathis philippinensis) was newly planted, bringing to date a total of 63 indigenous trees with 28 species variety, now growing in UNO-R Museum of Philippine Heritage Trees at Greenheart Hermitage.
The museum, which started with 50 trees planted on May 23 last year, symbolized the university’s golden celebration, UNO-R @50. As Cradle of Excellence, UNO-R planted NOT-JUST-ANY-TREE but those native tree species that are of superior quality and vanishing. Since slow growing, their maturity would take at least 50 long years, fitting enough to become the living legacies and witnesses of UNO-R’s continuing journey to excellence.
EDC headed by its CSR Social Programs Officer/Forester Roniño Gibe, together with UCDO Supervisor Mely Flores, SDPC OIC and Bantay Kahoy Lino Sumbillo, UCDO Coordinator for SDPC Fritz Palma, and UCDO Coordinator for IMC Florian Adolfo, witnessed the tree planting activity. VP-Religious Affairs Fr. Cornelio Moral, OAR, who chaired the UNO-R@50 celebration, also showed his support with a short visit before the event.
The tree museum is the concretization of UNO-R’s Environmental Stewardship Charism which is advanced by University Community Development Office under its project, “Grow-A-Heritage-Tree,” together with Greenheart.
Provided by Energy Development Corporation through its BINHI Tree-for-the-Future Program, the high-valued seedlings are planted to become Mother Trees for future propagation in order to rescue the threatened heritage tree species and restore Philippine biodiversity.#ucdo
