Cabanatuan diocese to plant 100k trees within 2011

The Diocese of Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija will plant 100,000 tree seedlings within the year to show its support for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Year of the Youth (YOTY). While the diocese had an initial quota of 20,000 trees as part of the CBCP YOTY's "one million trees project," its youth commission made a commitment to exceed the goal. "(It) is for the sake of ecology," Fr. Denis De Leon, priest-in-charge of the Cabanatuan youth commission, said in an article posted on the CBCP news site. De Leon said the project will help the youth become more aware of the value of nature. So far, 13 parishes, schools and youth groups have had tree-planting activities, planting 7,170 trees. The St. Paul the Apostle parish planted the most trees, at 3,000. Parish volunteers chose a site in Gabaldon for their tree-planting activity. 20,000 trees by September Joannie Bolisay, diocesan youth coordinator of Cabanatuan, said they expect to meet the original quota of 20,000 trees by the first week of September. The latest tree-planting activity was conducted a priest and 25 seminarians from the Maria Assumpta Seminary on July 16 when they planted 1,500 Ipil-ipil seedlings. Pamintuan said the Aetas helped them plant trees. - VVP, GMA News