Tue, 02/14/2017 - 09:02

EB Magalona Mayor Marvin Malacon wants couples who plan to be part of the town’s mass wedding ceremonies to participate in mangrove planting.

Check out EB Mag 16th Mass Wedding Ceremony Photo Gallery

Malacon will officiate 69 couples set to tie the knot today, Valentine’s Day in a mangrove planting activity held last Friday at Barangay Tuburan in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental.

The Mayor said that he wants the Sanggunian Bayan to pass an ordinance to make mangrove planting a requirement for couples joining the annual mass wedding program.

“We are currently experiencing climate change and we want them to be part of our solution to battle climate change,” Malacon said.

This is the first time that they require couples to participate in mangrove planting, but Malacon said he wants this to continue.

Among those who participated were long-time partners Arnel Remias and Rose Marie Presquito.

They admitted it was hard walking through the muddy shore, but they were glad to have done something for nature before they finally got married.

“Para man na gyapon sa puturo namon kag sa mga kabataan namon (We and our children will benefit from this in the future),” Remias said.

Most of the residents in EB Magalona rely on fishing as their livelihood so the local government is protective of its coastal area.

Local environment group Green Alert-Negros, one of the organizers of the event ‘Date with a Tree’ “is a celebration to take part in giving our love to Mother Nature.”

“The event also aims to educate the participants and community the importance of mangroves in coastal ecosystem and get involved in coastal conservation, preservation through mangrove growing to empower the community in protecting and conserving their mangrove area,” the group said in a statement.*(Eugene Y. Adiong)