Rodriguez, RIZAL (July18, 2003) – After planting more than 500 seedlings last month, the Montalban Aggregates Producers Association (MAPA) is slating more tree-planting activities in Rodriguez, Rizal as it firms up its commitment to help in the government’s reforestation program.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 4 Director Salvador Martin said they welcome the move as a boost to the DENR’s re-greening strategy, which in particular had called for the help of the minerals sector through the establishment of wider mining forests in the country.

“MAPA has been a consistent partner of Region 4 in this area, and we’re glad the group has once again rose up to the challenge.” Martin said. “The trees they will plant will surely help in the current efforts of the entire minerals industry to highlight its role in the government’s reforestation program which goes alongside with the thrust to revitalize the minerals industry.”

Earlier, Secretary Elisea G. Gozun has called on the minerals sector to further help in the government’s re-greening program through an intensified Adopt-a-Mountain, Adopt-a-Mining Forest Program, a program mandating all mining and quarrying companies to conduct reforestation and afforestation within or outside their mining operations. The Secretary has specifically eyed for 1 million trees from the minerals sector this year through this program.

MAPA president Antonio Pinzon said the group will conduct monthly tree-planting activities in each of the eleven barangays in Rodriguez, Rizal in the coming months.

Last month, MAPA members and their employees conducted a day-long tree-planting activity in Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal in time for the celebration of the Environment Month. At least 500 mahogany seedlings have been planted during the occasion.

Prior to this, the group had also conducted tree-planting activity in Barangay San Jose.

Pinzon said the next tree-planting activities will be done in the remaining Barangays in Rodriguez: Nakabod, Puray, San Rafael, Geronimo, Balete, Rosario, Mangahan, and Burgos.

Seedlings used in the tree-planting activities of MAPA came from various non-government organizations and group’s quarry and crashing plant operator-members.

MAPA has been a consistent partner of the DENR-MGB its various reforestation programs in Rodriguez, Rizal. Its members include Asencio-Pinzon Aggregates, Oxford Mines Inc., Blue Rock Aggregates, Superior Aggregates Corp., Pacific Concrete Products Inc., Montalban Millex Inc., JCR Construction Corp., Viba Aggregates, Solid Integrated Corp., San Isidro Rock Resources Inc. Vulcan Materials Corp. (MGB-Region 4)