IRIGA CITY -– Armed with bolos, hoes and other garden tools, spirited members of the Rinconada Bar Association (RBA) under the stewardship of City Prosecutor Roberto Jocom Jr. deployed themselves at the foot of Mt. Iriga as they spear-headed another tree planting activity, the other week.

        Apart from RBA members, other environmentalists who joined the noble activity were personnel of the city’s parole and probation office, General Services Office and the Vision Cable TV network.


Caption: ENVIRONMENTALISTS. The tree-planting lawyers from Rinconada.

        IBP President (Camarines Sur chapter) President, Atty. Leo Arnel Caayao and veteran councilor Rufino Villagomes also showed up to lend their support.

        Interviewed by Bicol Mail, Jocom said the group was able to plant a little less than 700 young trees along the irrigation canal from Santiago going down to adjacent villages.

        He expressed optimism that other sectors, such as the youth would also push similar projects to help the local government in its effort to protect the environment in their own little way.

        Since he made it to RBA’s top post, in the latter part of 2006, Jocom’s group had already accomplished several worthy projects which include gift giving to inmates at the city district jail; sports competition among Camarines Sur lawyers and; the initial tree planting held last year near the Gawad Kalinga housing site at Perpetual Help.

        Expecting bigger participation for similar activities in the future, Caayao, in a separate interview, stressed, “This is not just an activity of a particular group, but an activity of responsible people who unselfishly extending their help to protect our environment.”