US cagers join forest rehab project in Leyte

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines — Women's National Basketball Association player Allison Feaster and former National Basketball Association player Derrick Alston on Thursday visited this town where they participated in the launching of the Forest and Community Rehabilitation in Leyte project.

The project, implemented by the Makati-based Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation and the Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas campus, was launched at Barangay Candahug in this town in cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 8 and other stakeholders.

Feaster and Alston expressed sympathy to the Yolanda victims, while thanking for being part of the project launching event. The two also planted trees at the McArthur Landing Memorial Park in  Candahug.

PTFCF executive director Jose Andres Canivel said the project was supported by the United States Agency for International Development for the rehabilitation of the Yolanda-damaged forests in Leyte and the communities that depended forestland resources for livelihood.

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, who led the opening ceremony of the beach nursery hub, lauded the presence of Feaster and Alson that he said could generate positive impact and encouragement to the people of his province in supporting the project and recovery works.

DENR-8 Regional Executive Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said the project was a good response to the call of his office for international and local non-government organizations, academe, the local government units and the private sectors to unite for the environmental rehabilitation and conservation in Eastern Visayas.  (FREEMAN)