NATIVIDAD, Pangasinan—The Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO), together with volunteers from the PTCAO volunteerism program called Kampo Kalangwëran, joined the Provincial Population Cooperative & Livelihood Development Office (PPCLDO) and the local government unit of Natividad as they participated in the Pangasinan Green Canopy Tree Growing Activity last September 23, 2023 as part of this year’s Pangasinan Tourism Month celebration.
The activity took place at the Sky Plaza where the participants had to climb around 287 steps to reach the top of the mountain where a statue of Christ the Redeemer stands. With seedlings of endangered and fruit bearing trees in hand, the participants started planting a little ways away from the statue in the forested part of the area. The group was joined by Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Maria Luisa Amor-Elduayan, Natividad mayor Hon. Rosita Rafael, Natividad PNP Chief Jonathan Ramos, outgoing Natividad Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) leader Angelica Keen Malaca, and accompanying guests from the local PNP, LGU staff and scholars, and SK members.
According to PTCAO Chief Elduayan, with the Green Canopy Project, the different departments of the Provincial Government of Pangasinan are designated with a certain LGU where they can lead the Green Canopy Project of the provincial government. The PTCAO, in particular, chose Natividad for this project to inspire continuity as it was the venue for the launching of the Tongtóngan: The Governor’s See Pangasinan Listening Tour during the Pangasinan Tourism Month celebration last year. The project also coincides with the town’s Puno Initiative Program which aims to have five thousand seedlings strategically planted all over the Natividad landscape.
An extension of this activity included tours to two of Natividad’s known farm tourism sites namely R.Rebs Integrated Eco Farm and Maria’s Luntiang Bukid. Both farms are accredited by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) as learning sites for agriculture as well. This part of the activity helped especially the majority of PTCAO staff to learn more about the tourism offerings and educational farm know-hows from Pangasinan’s eastern frontiers.
/MCDG-U
Photos: KFC & JCT
