SATURDAY, 18 September 2021, Rotary Club of Makati Rockwell planted indigenous seedlings at Sitio San Ysiro, Brgy. San Jose, Antipolo City

Participated by President and Executive Director Elynn N. Gorra of Rockwell Makati and forty-nine (49) active members of Rotary Club and in partnership with Malayang Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Antipolo (MASAKA) represented by PO Chairman Jimmy Garcia, they were able to plant 1,900 seedlings: Narra (1,300), Calumpang (200) Banaba (300), and Cacao (200).

Present also to the event are Roy Gulane and Dexter Villa from DENR Central Strategic Alliance and Environmental Partnership Division under Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service (SCIS, and Robert Hipolito representative for National Greening Program of PENRO Rizal.

The tree growing program was first initiated by the club in 2010 along South Luzon Express Way (SLEX) until the year 2014.

In 2015-2019, they moved their planting site at the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DENR CALABARZON field office, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Rizal. Within five (5) years, they planted 3,500 indigenous seedlings at seven (7) hectares designated National Greening Program (NGP) graduated plantation site at So. San Ysiro. 

A year later, additional 2,000 indigenous seedlings were planted in four (4) hectares of designated new fifteen (15) hectares development sites in September 2020 for which they continue to do so this year for another MOA.

The Rotary Club of Makati Rockwell is one of the biggest partners of PENRO Rizal in the protection, restoration, and development of the UMRPBL. ###