CSU commemorates 104th year of Proclamation No. 4, partners with PENRO for tree-hugging activity

In a CSUan way of celebrating the Heart’s Day, Caraga State University faculty and staff gathered to remember the 104th year since Proclamation No. 4 that reserved the 232-hectare land in Brgy. Ampayon, Butuan City, which is now the university’s fertile ground for academic discoveries and feats, February 14, 2024.

American Governor General Francis Burton Harrison passed the proclamation on February 14, 1920. To pay tribute, a wreath-laying and reading of CSU history in front of the Governor’s statue inside CSU was conducted and followed by community dancing.

CSU also partnered with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) - Agusan del Norte for a tree-hugging meditation activity. Participants were encouraged to connect, pay tribute to nature, and appreciate its benefits. PENR Officer Joseph Leo Oconer highlighted the significance of tree-hugging, which dates back to the 1970s as environmental activism in India. Nowadays, the same is promoted as a practice to improve mood and reduce stress, among other benefits, since it releases oxytocin, the hormone of love and trust that influences emotions and mental health.

Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Alexander T. Demetillo also emphasized the university’s important role in promoting environmental consciousness and conservation. As a relevant move, CSU aims to plant 22,000 trees this year.

The activity serves to remember the university's humble inception and a way to reflect how far it has come since it started its operations in 1946.