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SGI News: Global activities for peace, education and culture

SGI-Philippines Environmental Efforts

On January 11, volunteers from the young men’s division of SGI-Philippines planted trees on one of the Malasag Hills, in the northern part of Mindanao Island. The young men started planting trees in June 1999 in response to an appeal for reforestation assistance by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. They have continued to visit the site bimonthly to care for the trees.

In recognition of SGI-Philippines’ environmental conservation efforts, the North Mindanao Region has assigned a two-hectare site in the Malasag Hills to SGI-Philippines, designating it "SGI Hill." The hill provides a natural habitat for many trees indigenous to the Philippines, including mahoganies, nara and molave, as well as fruit trees such as mango and papaya.

In Quezon City, children from the Paaralang Pantao (People’s School) visited the SGI-Philippines Grand Culture Center in December. Paaralang Pantao is located at the foot of a massive garbage dump, known as the "Second Smokey Mountain," in which many people scavenge for their livelihood. The children attending the free school live in the slums near the dump.

The school’s founder and principal, Dr. Letty Reyes, was deeply appreciative and impressed by the view from the culture center--which overlooks Taal Lake, considered by many to be the most beautiful natural volcanic lake in the world.

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