Mapúa MCL Celebrates City of Cabuyao’s 10th Cityhood Anniversary
The Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement (CSCE) took part in the City of Cabuyao’s 10th Cityhood Anniversary in August 2022 with the theme “Luntiang Bayan, Nagkakaisang Mamamayan Tungo sa Bagong Cabuyao.” Spearheaded by CENRO Cabuyao, they launched the simultaneous tree planting activity attended by multi-sectoral organizations from the City of Cabuyao. The Mapúa MCL has been promoting environmental awareness and protection through its service-learning and community engagement initiatives with the participation of both the Mapúa MCL departments and the students/student organizations. Two (2) Kabuyaw tree (Citrus hystrix) seedlings, and sixteen (16) Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) seedlings, were given to the CSCE and the seedlings were planted all throughout the campus’ vicinity with the help of the members of Malayan Kalikasan, a non-academic, non-profit environmental organization of Mapúa MCL.
The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Cabuyao City, Laguna is a government unit that acts toward the protection and preservation of the city’s natural resources including forests, watersheds, tree parks, mangroves, and other environmental development projects. CENRO focuses on water and air quality, solid waste management, coastal management, marine fisheries, forest resources, and parks and recreation. Moreover, the Cabuyao River Protection Advocates (CaRPA), a multi-sector organization that focuses on sustainable development and active stewardship of the Cabuyao River Systems and its related resources also took part in this collective measure to strengthen the protection of Earth’s environment. The CSCE has been a member of the CaRPA for over five (5) years now.
Mapúa MCL took part in separate tree planting activities that contributed to the National Greening Program (NGP) of the Philippine government mandated by Executive Order 193, s. 2015 that aims to plant 1.5 billion trees from 2011 until its expanded coverage until 2028. The Office for External Relations and Global Linkages (OERGL) and the CSCE partnered with the Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR) for this initiative (refer to selected photos below). The location of the tree-planting was in the Municipality of Siniloan, Province of Laguna in one of its 68 protected areas known to stabilize water flow and soil to prevent typhoon-related calamities. At least 50 volunteers participated in the tree planting activity which consisted of the alumni, Mapúa MCL employees, and students. At least 300 seedlings provided by DENR were planted in the designated areas of the said site.
