As people shuffled off to work and school, planting in hours of labor and knowledge one Wednesday morning, the citizens of Barangay Sangcate in Santa Barbara were planting native fruit-bearing trees around their neighborhood.

Barangay Sangcate is one of the smallest barangays in Santa Barbara. It lies at the mouth of the Tigum River, a vital water source for the province of Iloilo. Because it is beside the river, the barangay experiences flooding frequently, especially during the rainy season when the river overflows. 

To solve that problem, the Lakaran Institute coordinated with the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Santa Barbara to provide langka (jackfruit) and cabugao (pomelo) seedlings to the barangay. The Lakaran Institute facilitated the tree-planting activity on March 25, 2026. 

Some members of the youth, senior citizens, and women, as well as the barangay officials, planted trees in strategic locations–where the river spills over, the children hang out after school, and the entrance of the barangay. 

“We hope that these trees grow and bear fruit for our children and grandchildren, so that they can be safe and have nutritious food to eat,” said Kagawad Christy.

Her words echoed the sentiment of the Greek proverb, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” By planting trees for the future, the citizens of Barangay Sangcate showed their empathy and care for one another, and their foresight in building disaster resilience.