Cantilan Bank plants 1,500 bitaog seedlings along Balwarte shoreline in Cantilan
Cantilan Bank (CBI), in coordination with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office of Cantilan and the Office of Barangay Magosilom, held a tree-planting activity along the shoreline of Balwarte, Magosilom, Cantilan, Surigao del Sur on June 12, 2015 as one way of celebrating its 35th anniversary as a community bank.
The tree planting activity was spearheaded by CBI President Brig. Gen. Charles Y. Hotchkiss (Ret.) who did the ceremonial tree planting together with Mr. Rito Artazo of CENRO Cantilan.
“We started planting trees many years ago as part of our mission to protect the environment. This initiative will go on forever because if we protect the environment, we are also protecting ourselves and the lives of our clients including the next generations,” said Brig. Gen. Charles Y. Hotchkiss (Ret.) during his welcoming message.
All CBI employees living within CarCanMadCarLan areas attended the event. The DENR CENRO-Cantilan and the Office of Barangay Mgosilom also sent its representatives.
The bitaog tree (calophyllum inophyllum), also known as palo maria, is a low-branching and slow-growing evergreen tree native to the coasts of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Region, and Australia. Its wood, oil, and sap have many uses, contributing much to its being regarded as a sacred tree by many Pacific island cultures. The bitaog grows very well in sandy soil, providing shade and protection against wind. It is a deep-rooted tree with a root system that grows as deep as it is tall, making it an excellent natural barrier to soil erosion. With 1,500 seedlings planted along the southern coastline of Cantilan, it is CBI’s hope that the surviving trees can help mitigate the risks to disaster and soil erosion and protect future generations. CBI will continue its partnership with the DENR and its National Greening Program to continue monitoring and to plant more trees. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Founded in 1980, Cantilan Bank, Inc. (CBI) is one of the leading community banks in the country with Corporate Headquarters in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur.
Currently, CBI has P2.2 billion pesos in total assets and provides financial services through its collective network of 40 branches and offices, and 24 ATMs that are strategically located across Caraga, Compostela Valley, Davao Provinces, and Southern Leyte. Cantilan Bank was awarded by Landbank of the Philippines as one of the Top 3 Outstanding Countryside Financial Institutions in the country and as the best CFI intermediary with the lowest pass-on rate. In 2013, CBI was cited by the BIR as the number one corporate taxpayer in Surigao del Sur. Its microsavings product for students was also recognized as the best in the country by the Rafael B. Buenaventura Foundation.
CBI is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Securities and Exchange Commission. It is a proud member of Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, and BancNet powered by Nationlink. For more information on your friendly community bank, visitwww.cantilanbank.com.
