Sarangani commemorates National Heroes Day

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON ALABEL, Sarangani (August 27, 2012) - In Sarangani, a tree planting activity was conducted on Friday (August 24) to mark in advance today’s commemoration of the National Heroes Day or the Araw ng mga Bayaning Pilipino. Provincial administrator Vicente Camacho said “we just want to go out of our way from the traditional way of celebrating it, instead we opt for new initiatives which is still in consonance with the mandate.” The Department of Interior and Local Government has issued memorandum circular 2012-138 directing “all local chief executives to conduct simple but meaningful activities honoring our national heroes in their respective localities.” Camacho said heroes “fought and stand as heroes not just in times of war but also in times of peace and in times of development” wherein he interpreted addressing the concerns of the environment is one way of advocating the aspirations these heroes once struggled thru for development. Also, the tree planting, he said, supports the “effort of our forefathers to preserve the country which includes environment preservation. So, we have to continue what they have started not necessarily going into war but going into development.” Around 600 hills of Mahogany were planted along Ladol, a newly-created barangay of the capital town, Alabel, which is seen to complement with the ecological balance in the area and to somehow help control flooding. The activity was spearheaded by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office which also conducts periodic monitoring of the seedlings planted as a follow-through activity and as part of their mandate on upland management to monitor trees planted. (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)