On the 5th of June every year, the world celebrates Environment Day, the primary vehicle of United Nation for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment.

In the Philippines, the month of June has also been declared as the Philippine Environment Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 237 signed in 1988 by then President Corazon Aquino.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the primary agency implementing various activities to raise awareness on the precious value of the environment, through its various bureaus, agencies, partners and stakeholders.

With the theme, "Connecting People to Nature" and with the tagline, "I'm With Nature," this year's celebration encourages people to show their collective love and appreciation for nature.

This year’s theme encourages people to go outdoors, appreciate the beauty and importance of nature, and take part in the call to protect Mother Earth.

It also aims to add consciousness to the relationship of people with nature, underscoring the connectivity and dependency of human on nature in many ways.

This annual event is greatly aimed to protect the environment and implement some new and effective plans to save the earth from destruction and for the possibility of having a healthy life.

Nickel Asia Corporation-Taganito Mining Corporation (NAC-TMC) has been participative in this celebration since its operation has great relationship with nature.

Long before June, programs and activities were already lined up in preparation for the celebration of the Environment Month.

Most of the planned activities were related to the theme to connect all the field and office workers, SCAA and contractors to nature.

NAC-TMC, through the MEPEO Department, hosted an early morning trail run at the reforested areas of the company that allowed employees to witness a man-made lagoon and plantation areas.

The plantation areas were affected by destructive elements such as fires and timber poaching by illegal wood gatherers from nearby communities.

Along the way, runners were directed to a biodiversity area with various facilities such as a goat farm, herbal garden, planted fruit trees, fish sanctuary, nursery and other scenic views of the area. The trail run was concluded with a hearty arroz caldo meal.

On the same day, the flag ceremony was sponsored by the Environment Department. In the afternoon, an environment-themed quiz bowl that involved different department and sections and main contractors of the company was done.

June 8 was the World Ocean's Day in which clean-up activities of coastal areas and adopted river of the NAC-TMC were done and participated by the employees of the company who are also residents of the area.

NAC-TMC’s celebration of the Environment Month 2017 concluded on June 20 with a tree planting activity in the mined out areas.

Employees from the mine site and head office, contractors as well as special Cafgu (SCAA) whole-heartedly participated in the activity.

Planting enabled everyone to know and appreciate how seedlings are raised in the nursery and get acquainted with the company’s choice of native and fast-growing species for planting.

The culmination program was held at the newly-renovated mines view deck. The place allows visitors to see a 360-degree view of the mining site.

June 25 is also being celebrated as the Philippine Arbor Day. It was celebrated by NAC-TMC through a tree planting activity participated by 50 senior high students and school teachers of Taganito National High School, the adopted school of the company.

Part of the celebration was a clean-up drive at Isla Alingkakajaw in which more than 10 households were involved in the activity.