(Oct. 26, 2012) Baguio City —- Employees of SM City Baguio and workers from partner groups planted 14,200 pine tree seedlings in Busol Watershed, the main source of potable water here and La Trinidad town.

Karren Padilla, SM public relations manager, said the drive was joined by  Police Regional Office-Cordillera, the Baguio City Police, Guardians, 911 On Call, Air Force, and Highway Patrol Group-Cordillera.

She said 23,757 pine seedlings have been planted top restore forest cover.

“Ninety five percent of these trees have survived while the remaining five percent that did not survive were replaced last Wednesday,” she said.

“The mall management is confident of hitting the 50,000 mark in less than three years more agencies willing to partner with SM.”

Padilla said the reforestation program is meant to replace the trees that were balled and transferred to give way to the mall’s P1-billion expansion for added retail and parking space and a catchment to store 6.9 million cubic meters of rainwater for recycling.