On 28 November 2022, signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was held at the Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG) for the newly approved projects of the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME) and Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc. (PGPC Inc.) entitled: “Scaling-Up the Participatory Community-based Natural Resources Management in Four Watersheds of Mount Makiling Forest Reserve and Mount Bulalo” and “Kupkop Kabundukan-Molave Plantation”. A short program was held before the signing of the MOA, wherein an overview of the projects was presented by the project leaders and a short message was delivered from the head of each institution present in the activity. The agreements were signed by the President of the PGPC Inc., Mr. Napoleon L. Saporsantos, Jr.; Mak-Ban Operations Director of the PGPC Inc., Mr. Hector B. Morota; Executive Director of the University of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (UPLBFI), Dr. Enrico P. Supangco; Dean of the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB-CFNR), Prof. Marlo D. Mendoza; and Deputy Director of MCME, Dr. Rogelio T. Andrada II. Also present during the MOA signing were some of the staff of the PGPC Inc. and the project team members of the newly approved projects from the MCME, headed by For. Nicasio M. Balahadia and For. Leilani A. Castillo. Both projects have a three-year duration and funded by the PGPC Inc. The “Scaling-Up the Participatory Community-based Natural Resources Management in Four Watersheds of Mount Makiling Forest Reserve and Mount Bulalo” project is Phase 3 of the MCME and PGPC Inc. project since 2015. After the MOA signing, a ceremonial tree planting was held at the Molave Plantation located in the MBG, where 50 Molave (Vitex parviflora Juss) seedlings were planted by the staff from PGPC Inc. and MCME. The seedlings are from the collection of the Ex-Situ project inside Mount Makiling Forest Reserve.
By: MSCanceran
Photos By: KJPGonzalvo
