LANAO DEL SUR – As part of the June celebration of the Philippine Environmental Month (Proclamation No. 237, s. 1988), the Office of MP Atty. Rasol Y. Mitmug, Jr. conducted a Tree Planting Program through the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy at Lanao Agricultural College, Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur last June 2, 2022. This project was availed through the 2021 Transitional Development Impact Fund.
Messages of support were given by Lanao Agricultural College Superintendent Jasmine Asum Kurangking, Sultan Dumalondong Mayor Jamel ‘Miah’ Kurangking, PLGU ENR Officer Forester Pili Papandayan, Provincial Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Officer (PENREO) Asmarie M. Labao, MPA, and MP Mitmug’s Chief of Staff Al Amira Alonto-Mitmug.
Superintendent Kurangking welcomed everyone to the event and explained that tree planting programs are regularly participated in by graduating students toward the end of every year.
Labao shared their office’s programs and initiatives and emphasized, “A diyon di mambandingan so ka-importante o kalindinga tano siko environment tano, Ranao tano, kalindinga tano siko gilupa tano, kalindinga tano siko forest resources. So theg tano a, ‘Ang programang pangkalikasan ay programa ng pangkalahatan’.” He also added, “Alhamdulillah, panalamatan ami so Team MP Ras Mitmug a isa skanyan ko Members sa Parliament a very supportive sa environment.” [This is where we discuss the importance of protecting the environment, our Lake Lanao, how we preserve our land as well as our forest resources. As we said, ‘Environmental programs are programs for all’.” He also added, “All praises to Allah, we would like to thank the Team MP Ras Mitmug as one of the Members of the Parliament who is an environment enthusiast.”]
Chief of Staff Alonto-Mitmug has commended the Lanao Agricultural College for their annual tree planting program, and stated that the Minority Bloc of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority also filed Parliament Bill No. 106, requiring all graduating students within the Bangsamoro region to plant two trees, currently pending. Their other initiatives such as site visitation of new species Begonia Bangsamoro and the online campaign of Bangsamoro endangered species, were all in line with MP Mitmug’s environmental protection advocacy. She also explained that Atty. Mitmug was the only Member of Parliament who selected programs under MENRE for the 2021 Transitional Development Impact Fund.
Also present in the event were other PLGU and MENRE representatives. PAO VI Nahara Biruar was also present from the Office of MP Mitmug.
The highlight of the event was the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between MENRE-Lanao del Sur and PLGU-ENRO, witnessed by the Office of MP Mitmug. After the signing, the students, faculty, guests, and officials proceeded to the site within campus for the tree-planting proper.
The tree planting project included 250 seedlings of Molave tree (Vitex parviflora), 200 seedlings of Golden tree (Cassia fistula L.), 250 seedlings of Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), 100 seedlings of Mahogany tree, and 100 seedlings of Mortality tree, for a total of 900 seedlings.