Residents of this city, including employees of the city government and national government agencies, barangay officials and members of non-government organizations, planted at least 3,100 trees in celebration of Valentine’s Day on Wednesday.

More than 1,000 individuals joined the annual “Lakad Tanim Para sa Puso” tree-planting activity, which is now in its 17th year, in Sitio (sub-village) Caridad, Barangay Banquerohan here. The village is adjacent to the Legazpi City sanitary landfill.

The participants included employees of the Legazpi local government unit, Commission on Audit (COA), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Legazpi City Water District (LCWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In her short message, Mayor Geraldine Rosal said the yearly tree planting activity spearheaded by the city government is part of their reforestation and environmental protection programs to cushion the impact of global warming.

She said at least 150,000 trees planted during the previous years are now fully grown and standing tall in different areas, particularly at the foot of Mt. Mayon, the top of the Lignon Hill view deck, at the sanitary landfill, and the golf course in Barangay Padang.

Rosal commended the participants for regularly joining the city’s tree-planting activity, noting this sustained practice has a significant impact on the environment.

“We have a date with our nature of protecting our environment by way of planting more trees every time we celebrate Valentine’s Day,” she said.

Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR) chief, engineer Benju Calleja, in an interview, said the planted tree seedlings were provided by the OCENR’s nursery.

He said the seedlings included fruit-bearing trees such as cacao, jackfruit, santol and avocado.

The “Lakad Tanim Para Sa Puso” started a year after Super Typhoon Reming devastated Albay on Nov. 30, 2006.

Meanwhile, personnel of the Police Regional Office-Bicol (PRO5) serenaded and gave flowers and heart-shaped balloons to commuters and motorists in front of their headquarters in Camp Gen. Simeon Ola on Wednesday morning.

In a message, Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said the activity aimed to strengthen community relations and convey the love of the police for the people they are serving.

Those who received flowers and balloons were pleasantly surprised and thankful for the policemen’s gesture. (PNA)