【Philippines】Grateful for Trees

The geographical location of the Philippines made it susceptible to typhoons. Facing the Pacific Ocean, the country is visited by an average of 20 typhoons every year creating damage into the economic situation and way of living of the Filipinos. The typhoon Pedring, one of the strongest typhoons that hit the Northern part of the Philippines on the 17th of September 2011 damaged almost the whole province of Isabela including the trees planted under the Children Forest Program in Kapirpirwan Elementary School.

Fortunately, despite the intensity of the typhoon, the school buildings were not severely damaged because the trees acted as natural barriers which absorbed the strong impact of winds and rains brought by typhoons. With this experience, the school management and the students are more determined in doubling their efforts of planting and nurturing trees within the CFP School.

Since 2004, the students supervised by the teachers and CFP coordinators have been planting trees within the vicinity of the school. For eight consecutive years of planting and nurturing the trees, the school managed to create a mini-forest within the school compound. Other than protection from natural calamities like typhoons and landslides, the mini-forest also served as an area for the students and teachers to relax and commune with nature. The teachers with the help of parents installed recreational equipment under the mini-forest so that the students can enjoy playing with their classmates partially shaded by the forest canopy and safe from the direct hit of the sun.

The established mini-forest within the CFP School addresses the need of the students to expose, explore and experience nature in their second home.