Gov. Arthur Defensor, Jr., Vice Governor Christine Garin, First District Board Member Val Serag, Executive Assistant Niel "Beng" Tupas III, and Barotac Viejo Mayor Nielo "Bongbong" Tupas led the celebration of the 23rd Pyesta sang Kakahuyan held at the Aeta community in Sitio Nagpana, Brgy. Lipata, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo this morning.

More than 1,000 seedlings of cacao, coffee, jackfruit, and narra were planted by Iloilo provincial government employees, municipal employees of Barotac Viejo, the Philippine National Police, and various volunteer groups at the project site of the provincial government's Integrated Social Forestry (ISF).

The highlight of the activity is the promotion of Gov. Defensor's sloping agricultural technology or contour farming to prevent the occurrence of soil erosion or landslides in mountainous areas.

Similar tree planting activities were simultaneously held in other municipalities as part of the 23rd Pyesta sang Kakahuyan and Gov. Defensor's umbrella reforestation program "Tanum Iloilo".