NOVELETA, Cavite — The local government here, with the help of student volunteers and in partnership with various stakeholders, planted 600 seedlings in the town's Mangrove Protected Area during a three-day activity that ended on Saturday.

TREE-PLANTING ACTIVITY MCares by Mikaella group leads a tree-planting activity in the Noveleta Protected Mangrove Area in Barangay San Rafael IV, Noveleta, Cavite as part of their 3-Day Arbor Day celebration. PHOTO BY DENNIS ABRINA

Students of the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS), public schools in the town and representatives from the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, and MCares by Mikaella joined the tree-planting activities on Arbor Day.

The Office of the Mayor, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (Menro) of Lea Olidan-Balen also joined the tree-planting.

"We appreciate very much the time and effort of the volunteers who planted bakawan in our mangrove area that will serve as home of wild birds at various coastal flora and fauna," said Noveleta Mayor Dino Chua.

'If there are no mangroves in the rivers of Noveleta, the flood level will be higher and more damaging to the people and their properties. This is a big help to us," he said.

The Noveleta Mangrove Forest covers approximately 64.2 hectares of saline sediment swamp and mudflats.