BALANGA CITY — The Mt. Samat Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone (FTEZ) announced Friday that 400 pine seedlings were newly planted at the Shrine of Valor in the historic mountain in Pilar, Bataan.
The tree planting activity was conducted by FTEZ in partnership with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office to support measures on climate change adaptation, mitigation toward environmental sustainability and climate-smart-tourism.
“The initiative is also under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ National Greening Program and the National Climate Change Action Plan, which aims to promote environmental stability, biodiversity conservation and enhancement of climate change mitigation,” Mt. Samat FTEZ administrator Francis Theodore Initorio said.
Participants in the tree planting were DENR, Bataan Police Provincial Office, Army reservists of 305 th Reserve Infantry Battalion, FTEZ and PVAO.
“This is in line with the recommendation of the Mt. Samat FTEZ’s Comprehensive Tourism Master Plan to promote the development of the heritage and national park while harnessing its ecological potentials and focusing on the measures aligned with risk reduction plans and climate change adaptation of the NCCAP,” Initorio furthered.
The tree planting supports the Mt. Samat FTEZ’s proposal for the development of mini parks at the Shrine’s zigzag footpath.
In line with the mandate of the national government to promote the sustainable development of tourist spots in the country, especially the cultural and heritage sites, the Mt. Samat Shrine of Valor was officially designated as FTEZ on February 27, 2017 through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
“It also resulted from the inter-agency partnership of the TIEZA, the provincial government of Bataan and municipal government of Pilar, and the PVAO,” Initorio said.
