Advocacy. JIKFI volunteers gathered in the mountain barangay of Tagbao, Cebu City for a tree-planting activity last Sept. 26. (Contributed Foto)

A TOTAL of 2,500 indigenous forest and fruit-bearing tree seedlings were planted by more than 100 volunteers from Juanito I. King Foundation Inc. (JIKFI) and partners in Barangay Tagbao, Cebu City last Sept. 26.

In partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the tree-planting, which covered a one-hectare forest land, was the foundation’s response to the call of Pope Francis during his visit in the Philippines in January this year to care for the environment and each other from the effects of climate change.

JIKFI’s partnership with PBSP’s reforestation project in Central Cebu’s Protected Landscape has an assurance of 80 percent survival rate, which means 80 percent of hope and healing for the future.

Though, annually done by JIKFI in the last 13 years, the call of Pope Francis paved the way to an aggressive spirit of volunteerism from the King Group of Companies, 6R Group of Companies, Athecor Land, J Nitton Dev’t Corp. and RFK Holdings Inc. including partners, such as BPI Family Savings Bank.

During the activity, PBSP also taught the volunteers on the proper handling and planting of trees that they can apply in their backyards.

The tree-planting activity is a JIKFI advocacy since 2002 and has been promoting sustainable environment and preservation of nature, in partnership with PBSP.

To date, more than 60,000 trees have been planted and almost 13 hectares adopted by JIKFI in various forests in Cebu City.

Article Source: www.sunstar.com.ph