Up to 12,000 trees were planted in Zamboanga City as part of the Arbor Day celebration on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.

The trees, which include narra, palo maria, and nato, were planted in the five-hectare site within the SPZ Pasonanca Natural Park in Barangay Lumayang.

Arbor Day is observed every June 25 based on Proclamation No. 643 and Arbor Day Act of 2012 by planting trees to preserve the environment.

Led by the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR), over a thousand people from local and national government agencies, private institutions, and civic groups took part in the tree planting activity.

The activity is also part of the local government’s One Million Trees Program, which aims to mitigate the effects of climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

With the 12,000 trees just planted, the overall count of planted trees through the said program is now 758,300.