Philippines
On July 30, members of ASEZ WAO (Church of God Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group) in the North Luzon region of the Philippines participated in tree planting as part of the “Mother’s Forest” project. This activity, held at Wright Park in Baguio City, involved about 100 participants, including local and Korean members, the chief and officers from the Baguio Police Station, and officials from the Baguio City Hall. 200 seedlings were provided by the Baguio City Hall.
The Philippines is prone to landslides and sinkholes due to heavy rainfall. The Philippine government strongly encourages people to plant trees to prepare for natural disasters. On the day of the activity, despite heavy rainfall, the members remained focused on tree planting, wearing raincoats and boots and keeping cheerful smiles on their faces. The police and municipality officials planted 150 pine trees and 50 cypress trees alongside the members for about two hours from 10 a.m.
Julius Toribio, an ASEZ WAO member, expressed, “Many citizens thanked us for planting trees even in heavy rain without losing our bright smiles. I hope that such activities of ASEZ WAO will be helpful to the local residents’ lives.”
On August 4, Benjie Magalong, Baguio City Mayor, awarded Certificate of Recognition to the ASEZ WAO members, stating, “ASEZ WAO’s actions, demonstrating concern for environmental protection, create positive changes in the local community and serve as a good example to other volunteer organizations in Baguio.”