City starts clearing of watershed for planting of additional seedlings

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Admin

ANGELES CITY – To give way for the upcoming planting of 4,320 fruit-bearing seedlings at the city’s watershed in Barangay Sapangbato, a clearing operation was conducted in the area by the city government’s Engineering Office and Environment and Natural Resources Office.

This is part of the initiative of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. to provide long-term protection to the city’s watershed, aiming to plant 45,000 more trees this year.

Lazatin also tapped his most trusted adviser IC Calaguas to oversee the clearing operations and reforestation being done in the watershed.

The Mayor’s Office, according to Lazatin, will send grass cutters to fully clear the area where the 4,320 fruit-bearing trees will be planted. These seedlings were donated by the Department of Transportation, led by Sec. Arthur Tugade, and arrived at the watershed yesterday, July 14.

In the coming weeks, the remaining 42,000 seedlings which were a donation from DOTr will arrive, alongside, the 3,000 seedling-donations of an anonymous businessman.

Calaguas said the city government is on full swing in protecting and preserving the area. In fact, Mayor Lazatin assigned a team from CENRO composed of 18 personnel to take care of and monitor the seedlings, and continue planting daily.

“This is the Lazatin administration's contribution to preserve the environment and our water sources,” Calaguas said.

Meanwhile, Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council Inc. (ARAW -ACI) led by businessman and environmentalist Renato “Abong” Tayag, the city’s partner Non-Government Organization (NGO) for the said project, is asking help from other private sectors to adopt a portion of the 560-hectare watershed.