Central Visayas plants 7,460 trees for Philippine Arbor Day 2026

Central Visayas marked Philippine Arbor Day 2026 with a large-scale tree planting initiative. The event aimed to promote reforestation, protect watersheds, and strengthen climate resilience across the region. Activities took place in multiple locations, involving hundreds of volunteers and thousands of seedlings. The campaign spanned six sites in Cebu and Bohol under the theme 'Green, Clean and Climate-Ready Communities'. According to DENR 7 Director Laudemir Salac, it formed part of a broader effort to rehabilitate and green the entire region.

In Barangay Lusaran, Cebu City, 250 volunteers planted 1,500 seedlings. These included native and fruit-bearing species such as cinnamon, narra, molave, sambulawan, sangil, antipolo, lauan, avocado, caimito, guyabano, cacao, and nangka.

Barangay Nug-as in Alcoy saw 155 volunteers plant 1,000 agoho and molave seedlings. In Barangay Santo Niño, Malabuyoc, 51 volunteers planted 2,000 molave seedlings. Meanwhile, 164 participants in Barangay Kangaibe, Isla sa Bantayan, planted 1,000 seedlings of narra, molave, and guyabano.

Overall, 1,139 volunteers from government agencies, local units, community groups, and private organisations took part. Together, they planted 7,460 native and fruit-bearing tree seedlings across 5.72 hectares. The tree planting events concluded with a total of 7,460 new trees across Central Visayas. These efforts are expected to support reforestation and watershed protection in the area. The initiative also reinforced community involvement in environmental rehabilitation.