RC Cebu Gloria Maris Plants Hope with District-wide Mangrove Tree Planting and Coastal Clean-Up

The morning sun broke gently over the shores of SRP Backroad, Cebu City, on September 28, 2025, as volunteers emerged with bright determination. The Rotary Club of Cebu Gloria Maris (RCCGM), represented by Past District Governor Lilu Aliño, Director Bernadette Ponce, and Assistant Secretary Jabemarie Maquiling, joined a district-wide movement participated by Rotary District 3860 Area 1 Clubs to restore coastal resilience through a Mangrove Tree Planting and Coastal Clean-Up drive, carried out under the inspiring theme, “One Tree, Every Rotarian, Every Year.”

The air filled with a mix of fresh sea breeze and purposeful energy. Volunteers waded into the mangrove mudflats, planting saplings with care and precision—each tree a seed of hope. Alongside these efforts, rubbish was meticulously gathered from the shoreline, clearing the way for young mangroves to thrive and for marine life to flourish beneath. “Mangroves are nature’s guardians, shielding communities from storms and nurturing biodiversity,” noted one organizer, underscoring the vital environmental role these trees play.

RCCGM leaders embraced hands-on participation as they worked beside fellow Rotarians, community members, and environmental advocates. Director Bernadette Ponce reflected, “This is more than planting trees—it’s about planting protection for our children’s future.” Each sapling set in place symbolized a promise to combat coastal erosion, slow climate change impacts, and restore fisheries crucial for local livelihoods.

The coastal clean-up complemented the tree planting by removing plastic waste, discarded nets, and other debris choking the shoreline. Volunteers efficiently cleared what years of neglect had accumulated, breathing new life into the coastal ecosystem. This dual-action initiative radically shifts the health of Cebu’s shores, combining restoration with prevention.

“When communities invest in their environment, they build resilience that sustains both nature and people,” Director Ponce said. The harmonious chorus of working hands and hopeful hearts shaped a vivid tableau of stewardship in action.

As the day closed, the mangrove saplings rooted firmly in soft earth stood as living testaments to the power of collective action. 

The clean shorelines and growing green belts are silent yet potent reminders that meaningful change begins with united steps toward healing the planet.