San pablo city: The local government of San Pablo City has successfully broken the Guinness World Record for the most people planting coconut seedlings simultaneously across different locations, a title that was previously held by Nagapattinam District in India. Driven by the ambition to restore the city's reputation as the country's leading coconut producer and to rejuvenate the industry, Mayor Najie Gapangada led the initiative, which saw 11,000 coconut seedlings planted within 15 minutes across 12 villages.

According to Philippines News Agency, the previous record set by India was not immediately known. The primary planting site was an eight-hectare plot owned by Philip Young, who serves as a special assistant to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. The event witnessed the participation of thousands of volunteers, including students, civic organizations, and government employees, who contributed to the synchronized planting effort.

The seedlings were supplied by the City Agriculturist Office and the Philippine Coconut Authority. During his speech prior to the planting, Mayor Gapangada highlighted that the initiative also replaced trees from a 500-hectare area designated for an upcoming industrial zone.

In a Facebook post, Gapangada emphasized, "The event marks the beginning of a massive three-year coconut planting program to restore San Pablo City's standing as the number one coconut-producing area in the Philippines." He further noted the importance of community involvement, stating, "Planting coconuts is not just the responsibility of the government. Community participation is vital. Government and citizens must work together."

Before officially awarding the record, Guinness adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar visited the various planting sites to verify the accomplishment.