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UP Arboretum Project Moves On By Cris Michelena and Butch Madarang
The light early morning rainshower on Eidl F’tir last Friday 9 August 2013 energized the members of the UP Arboretum teams set to conduct an ocular inspection of the Arboretum grounds under the guidance of Brgy UP Campus Captain Gravidez and Vice Chancellor Lani Flores of Community Affairs of the UP Diliman Chancellor’s office. The inter-action and ocular site inspection and visit was part of a social preparation process which was taken up during a series of Technical Working Group committee meetings chaired by Chancellor Saloma, participated in by brods Rene de Rueda, Mars Robosa, Ezra Castillo, Cris Michelena and Butch Madarang.
UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma was at hand to lead the introductory meeting between the UP Arboretum technical teams and the community leaders in the area. Roger Creencia of the DA’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management was present to conduct an initial ocular inspection to ascertain the scope of work in the topographical mapping of the area taken on by the DA. Brods Jong Danganan and Thomas Espayos of DENR-NCR were to conduct the same scope of work assessment for geotagging and inventory of trees. Brod Butch Madarang had pulled together the technical teams for the effort, Brod Cris Michelena coming in for the Fraternity alumni. The whole group conducted a walking tour of the arboretum premises, identifying areas and domicile for proper land use. Chancellor Saloma said that there are more than 600 family-residents in the premises according to census conducted in 2011.
The group had an early lunch at the residence of Mr. Jun Bautista whose father and family had been initially tasked by former Arboretum Director Liwag (Brod Boying’s father) to monitor and protect the environs as community members. The atmosphere was friendly all around and discussion of the next steps to undertake was lively. Various ideas about how to maintain the project, including the “adoption” of Arboretum areas by school and socio-civic organizations were laid on the table, all present being receptive to the ideas. Adjourning at 10:30 am, Chancellor Saloma asked Brod Cris to help design a logo for the UP Arboretum project to put up in the UP Diliman website and eventually on-site.
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