MunaTo Festival kicks off with fun run, mangrove planting

By COCOY SEXCION

ALABEL, Sarangani (November 24, 2011) – The Munato Festival 2011 celebration opened Thursday (November 24) with a fun run and a series of environmental protection and rehabilitation activities.

The 5.4-kilometer run started in front of the Provincial Capitol compound and finished at purok Fabricante in barangay Maribulan where each finisher was enjoined to plant a mangrove seedling and release bangus fries to Sarangani Bay.

“Around 700 runners participated in the fun run, though only 611 officially registered,” said Aiza Platinos of the Sarangani Tourism and Investment Promotions Center (STIPC). Platinos facilitated the registration.

The “Run Against Global Warming” was organized by Alcantara Foundation and Sarangani provincial government through STIPC. This is also supported by Barangay Council of Maribulan, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Sarangani Energy Corporation, 73rd Infantry Battalion, Southern Philippines Power Corporation, Department of Education Sarangani division, Globe Telecom, SMART Communications, SUN Cellular and PNP Sarangani.

Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Allan Farnazo thanked the teachers who participated in the event. “Personally I would like to thank everyone from DepEd who responded to our invitation to join the fun run especially the aging and old for you have defied your age,” Farnazo joked.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office personnel headed by Bong Tuballes also joined the event.

”We will support this activity for it will be a big help in the rehabilitation of our mangrove forests. I laud the organizers of this event,” Tuballes said.

“In the long run, these mangroves will be the spawning grounds of fishes. This will help our fishermen. So I hope this event will happen again next year.”

The first to finish the run was Aljoy Banguis from Alabel National High School. The youngest runner is 7-year old Lady Mae Trya and the oldest is Board Member Virgilio Clark Tobias, 68.

Tobias thanked the participants and hoped to have more fun runs and more plantings to come. He said that the event was one way of helping the community in preserving the environment.

“Truly this event is extremely fun. What we are doing today will determine the future of the next generation. All of the entities we have this morning are proof that we are actually united in aiming for the betterment for our province,” said Pastor Francisco Horta, a first time fun runner.

In an overview, Alcantara Foundation executive director Richlie Lyndon Magtulis said the two activities prepared after the fun run - the mangrove planting and fish restocking in Sarangani Bay – were part of the multi-year environmental program of Alcantara Foundation (AF).

AF has a 50,000-hectare mangrove forests rehabilitation project within a three-year period around Sarangani Bay. The releasing of 100,000 bangus fries is part of a commitment to release a total of 50,000,000 fries for the next three years in the bay. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)