The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR) spearheaded the nationwide launch of the “Luntiang Bukas” initiative Thursday, June 25, marking the 2026 observance of Philippine Arbor Day.
The launch featured a mass tree-planting activity at the Buyog Watershed in Upper Pinget, Baguio City, where local officials and volunteers planted 200 seedlings, including 150 pine trees and 50 coffee seedlings.
Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Baguio Forester Leandro De Jesus and Conservation and Development Chief Forester Marcelo Bumidang said the tree planting activity aims to foster community collaboration and highlight the critical role of reforestation in environmental health.
DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna in a statement read during the event said “a greener tomorrow is not built in a day; it is built through shared responsibility, sustained action, and a lasting commitment to care for the environment we all depend on. Every tree planted today represents a shared belief that we can build a better future together.”
De Jesus noted that the annual tree-planting program is a mandated effort among partner agencies to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
The launch coincided with Philippine Environment Month, which this year centers on the theme, “Luntiang Bukas: Green, Clean, and Climate-Ready Filipino Communities.”
To expand the initiative’s reach, CENRO Baguio simultaneously coordinated regional planting programs in Barangay Pito, Bokod, Benguet, and Ongkalew, Tinongdan. Participants included local government units, volunteer groups, and community residents. Noemi Salatic | UC Intern
