Mayor Vico Sotto Climbs Masungi and Plants a Threatened Species of Tree

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto is one of only four mayors in Metro Manila who have vowed to fight for the conservation and protection of Masungi Georeserve, a crucial watershed that is home to a vast number of endangered wildlife and plant life. 

Over the weekend, Sotto braved the rainy weather to visit Masungi Georeserve, where he climbed limestones and crossed hanging bridges to plant a threatened species of tree: a Philippine katmon. 

Photo by Masungi Georeserve.

In June 2022, Mayor Vico Sotto appealed to the DENR to cancel quarrying operations in Masungi Georeserve, a government-protected sanctuary. 

"We are humbled to host Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto and his team at Masungi this weekend. Pasig is among the downstream LGUs that supported the appeal to cancel quarrying agreements in Masungi and the Upper Marikina Watershed, to lessen flood risk and improve our cities' resilience to disasters," Masungi Georeserve wrote in a statement.

During the expedition to Masungi, Sotto and his aides learned about biodiversity, forest restoration, and the protection efforts being undertaken by the Georeserve. They also hiked the Discovery Trail, and planted threatened Katmon trees inside the Masungi Geopark Project.

Vico Sotto at Masungi's Discovery Trail

Photo by Masungi Georeserve.

Photo by Masungi Georeserve.

Vico Sotto and Masungi's Project Manager and Trustee, Ann Dumaliang

Photo by Masungi Georeserve.

Masungi Georeserve is an award-winning geotourism site that began as a simple public-private reforestation project in 1996, in which the government through the DENR awarded the Dumaliang family the rights to develop 30 percent of the forest, while conserving 70 percent of the area. The project involved restoring 400 hectares of denuded forests.