Last September 7, residents and leaders of flood-prone barangays in Malabon and Valenzuela (Potrero, Catmon, Tagalag, and Balangkas) participated in the Protect-a-Hectare program of the La Mesa Watershed. Together, they were able to plant a total of 720 seedlings across 1.7 hectares, to be followed by around 2,200 more across another 5.3 hectares.
Last September 7, residents and leaders of flood-prone barangays in Malabon and Valenzuela (Potrero, Catmon, Tagalag, and Balangkas) participated in the Protect-a-Hectare program of the La Mesa Watershed. Together, they were able to plant a total of 720 seedlings across 1.7 hectares, to be followed by around 2,200 more across another 5.3 hectares.
The activity recognizes the importance of an ecosystem-based and climate-smart approach to disaster risk reduction. The trees planted by the communities will serve to increase the water absorptive capacity of the La Mesa Watershed, contributing to the mitigation of flooding in their areas. They also demonstrate the communities’ partnerships with like-minded groups to protect the watershed from further degradation.
It was sponsored by Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD), CARE Nederland, Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR), Philippine Red Cross and the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) through the Partners for Resilience (PfR) Project.
photo credits: Gerone Centeno / ACCORD, unless otherwise stated