Basey, Samar is renowned for its enchanting natural resources like the five hundred sixty-eight (568) square meters Sohoton Caves as well as the fantastic huge arch-shape rock that connects two mountains named the Sohoton Natural Bridge. The town is also known for its “Golden River” which named came about because of the eroded mud clay from the riverbanks that flows into the watercourse which makes the river brown and mud-spattered.

Sohoton Services Association (SSA) organized by the Municipal Tourism Office on year 2008, for the purpose of managing the Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge. Year 2014, Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge has been one of the pilot sites of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. under the Bantay Kalikasan Program as one of its Community- Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Livelihood Project, financed by the Typhoon Yolanda donations.

Last September 23, 2016, a “One Man, One Tree to Save our Earth” Tree Planting/Growing event has been organized in the said eco-tourism site with a total of seven hundred (700) seedlings; 350 Golden Shower Seedlings, 180 Rain trees/Acacia, 120 Narra Seedlings and 50 Jackfruit Seedlings to be planted along the riverbanks of the WESPAL Jump Off Point to the Sohoton Natural Bridge.

This has been well-attended by almost 250 participants from the Provincial Government, Local Government, and Armed Forces of the Philippines, 4Ps Beneficiaries of Brgy.Inuntan, Philippine National Police, DENR, DOT, Academe and the SSA itself as well as the ALKFI’s supported POs from Dulag and Calbayog also came over to support and attend the event.

The Tree Planting/Growing Event aims to:

1.       To change the concept of the “Golden River” not as the eroded mud clay but to be known because of the golden flowers blossom from the Golden Shower Trees.
2.       Uplift the quality of our living environment through active planting, proper maintenance and preservation of trees.
3.       Reduce greenhouse gasses, erosion and fight climate change and
4.       Raise awareness that planting and growing trees can support in achieving a long term economic and environmental sustainability.

As Richard Alibado, the SSA PO President, has said, “For eight years since the SSA incepted, we have dreamed of organizing a tree-planting and growing event, and now it becomes a reality. I have not expected that this event will be big as this, but for sure, this tree planting and growing event will continue through the years.”

The Sohoton Services Assocation gives their commitment that the seedlings planted will have above the normal average survival average rate.

Moreover, this event has been realized with the partnership of the Provincial Government of Samar, Local Government of Basey and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.