By Ahikam Pasion
Forty couples who took part in the 2026 Kasalang Bayan in Mapandan also participated in a pandan planting activity as part of their wedding celebration.
The newlywed couples planted pandan, an aromatic plant from which the town of Mapandan drew its name, around the Municipal Material Recovery Facility in Barangay Primicias, integrating an environmental activity into the civil wedding program.
According to organizers, the activity aims to increase pandan cultivation in the town and promote environmental protection. Pandan plants are known to help prevent soil erosion, aside from lending aromatic smell to newly cooked rice and other food preparations, contribute to the development of green spaces, and support local biodiversity.
The activity was coordinated by the Mapandan Civil Registry Office, with assistance from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office.
Local officials said the initiative was intended to encourage environmental awareness while marking a significant milestone in the couples’ lives.