TREE PLANTING. Baguio City mayor-elect Benjamin Magalong plants a pine sapling together with a young participant of the tree planting activity on Sunday. Magalong campaign supporters and volunteers conceptualized the activity in lieu of a lavish party to celebrate his win in the recent elections and to commemmorate the environment month celebration. (Photo by Liza T. Agoot)

BAGUIO CITY -- Baguio City mayor-elect Benjamin Magalong and his campaign supporters on Sunday conducted a tree planting instead of throwing a lavish party to celebrate their victory and as a response to the clamor to address environmental issues.

"Instead of throwing a traditional victory party, I thought of something different, memorable and something special that has an impact to the environment," Magalong said on the sidelines of the tree planting activity.

Magalong noted that one of the core agenda of his administration as the city's chief executive is to revitalize the environment, which is also in response to the clamor of Baguio residents to take care of the environment.

"A total of 2,000 pine tree saplings were planted at the four sites today," he said.

About 400 campaign supporters and volunteers planted pine saplings in four sites, which include the Pine Trees of the World Park inside Burnham Park, Forbes Park forest reservation at South Drive, Teachers’ Camp, and at the Botanical Garden.

They conceptualized the tree planting activity to commemorate environment month, which is celebrated June of every year.

The mayor said the activity is also his “way of thanking the creator of the universe” for winning in the recent elections and for the peaceful conduct of the polls.

He won with a high vote margin against seven others, including three veteran politicians of the city.

Magalong, who retired from active service in December 2016, chaired the Philippine National Police board of inquiry that investigated the case of the 44 fallen members of the Special Action Forces (SAF 44). (PNA)