For the Future Generations

One thousand pine seedlings were planted by community members in a deforested area in Barangay Ambassador, Tublay, Benguet last June 6, 2015. This is part of a series of tree planting activities conducted in Benguet, Ilocos Sur and La Union in an effort to augment the forests that drain into the Amburayan River, a river which traverses all three provinces and provides water and livelihood for numerous communities.

Every year for the next 2 years, the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation will oversee tree planting activities in the municipalities of Atok, Tublay, Bakun, Kapangan, Kibungan and Buguias in Benguet; Santol, Bangar and Sudipen in La Union; and Sugpon, Alilem and Tagudin in Ilocos Sur. At least one thousand trees will be planted in each municipality every year with the help of local government units and concerned community members.

Preserving the forests that sustain Amburayan River’s water volume is a major step in ensuring the river remains healthy and biologically diverse. Each community member who plants a tree to replenish a forest understands that the benefits of their actions will not be reaped in their lifetime but by the generations who will come after.

Protecting and Defending the Amburayan River Basin and Watershed through Good Governance and Active People’s Participation is a project funded by the USAID through the Gerry Roxas Foundation and is implemented by the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation Inc. (JVOFI).