Stakeholders pushed for agricultural regeneration through the planting of fruit-bearing and high-value crops during a multi-sector forum at the University of Cebu's (UC) main campus in Cebu City on Saturday, July 4, 2026, saying the effort could help restore Cebu's environment while creating sustainable livelihoods for farmers.
The initiative promotes the planting of mango, guyabano, cacao and other suitable crops to rehabilitate watersheds, improve biodiversity and strengthen food security while providing farming communities with a stable source of income.
The initiative was discussed during the "Regenerating Cebu (Agricultural Development Component)" forum organized by UC in partnership with the Cebu Citizens Initiative (CCI), Philippine Inno-Ventures Agriculture Cooperative (Pivac), government agencies and other stakeholders.
UC President Calls for Collective Action
UC chairman and president Augusto Go said environmental rehabilitation requires collective action, with schools serving as the starting point. Recalling a conversation about flooding, Go said planting more trees, particularly mango trees, offers a long-term response to environmental degradation.
"Let's start at the ground level. Let us start with you — the students and teachers," he said, adding that UC would provide seedlings to support the campaign.
Livelihood and Environment Go Hand in Hand
CCI lead convenor Anastacio Muntuerto Jr. said protecting the environment should go hand in hand with improving people's livelihoods. "A healthy watershed is not built by concrete alone. It is built by fertile soil, by farmers who can make a decent living and by communities that understand that protecting nature and improving livelihoods must go together," he said.
Muntuerto said communities should have sustainable livelihood opportunities so they would no longer have to depend on cutting trees to survive. "We must create opportunities so people will no longer have to choose between today's meal and tomorrow's forest," he said.
He said planting fruit-bearing and high-value crops would strengthen food security, restore biodiversity and help communities become more resilient.
Pivac chairman Rey Calooy said environmental and agricultural challenges require cooperation among government, schools, private organizations and local communities.
DA 7 Director Pleads for Tree Cover Rehabilitation
Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 Director Angel Enriquez appealed for support in rehabilitating Cebu's declining tree cover. "Our trees are already crying for help. I would really like to plead with you to help us with the rehabilitation of many trees. We will start in Cebu City," Enriquez said.
Go assured the DA 7 of UC's support for the rehabilitation effort.
The forum ended with Go distributing mango seedlings to student leaders and representatives of nongovernment organizations, symbolizing the participants' commitment to advance the agricultural regeneration campaign across Cebu.
