๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ๐ด ๐๐ช๐ต๐บ โ ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ง๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ (๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐) reaffirmed its commitment to environmental stewardship and long-term sustainability as university personnel, headed by the university president ๐๐ฟ. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ฉ. ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป, ๐๐ ๐ฆ, revisited their adopted portion of the ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ to check on the growth and survival of the trees they had planted not long ago.
The visit was led by the ๐พ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ (๐พ๐๐๐๐), with ๐ ๐ฟ. ๐๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ, head of CENRO, guiding the NDDU delegation through the reforested site. The initiative forms part of CENROโs continuing efforts to collaborate with educational institutions and civil society in protecting the cityโs natural resources.
What began as a tree-planting initiative by NDDU has now evolved into a sustained commitment to forest care and ecosystem restoration. During this recent visit, the team was joined by ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ 2000 ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ, which donated financial support to the local community tasked with maintaining the adopted area. The support ensures that the trees not only survive but thrive, contributing to watershed health and biodiversity restoration in the upland areas of the city.
“๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ด๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ซ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ดโ๐ช๐ตโ๐ด ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐จ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ, ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ด ๐ค๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ,” shared one of the NDDU participants. The visit also provided a reflective moment for the team to reconnect with nature, recharge spiritually, and strengthen their sense of mission and fellowship.
The scenic view overlooking the valley toward General Santos City served as a powerful reminder of what is at stakeโand of what collective action can achieve. The team also interacted with local residents, recognizing their vital role in the success of the reforestation efforts and celebrating how far the area has come.
This activity is part of NDDUโs broader environmental and civic engagement strategy, contributing to ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐๐ก๐จ (๐๐ฟ๐๐จ), particularly ๐๐ฟ๐ 13 (๐พ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ) and ๐๐ฟ๐ 15 (๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฃ๐). It also reflects the universityโs ongoing mission to form students, faculty, and partners as responsible stewards of the Earth through education, advocacy, and action.
With continued collaboration among NDDU, CENRO, and community partners like Sagip Ka 2000, the Gensan watershed is steadily being transformedโone tree, one act of care, and one partnership at a time.
