5,000 Seedlings of Native Tree Species Planted on Arbor Day in Central Visayas

Some 600 volunteers planted more than 5,000 indigenous or native tree seedlings of various species in a simultaneous tree planting covering seven sites in Central Visayas in line with the Arbor Day celebration Thursday, June 25.

The volunteers came from the local government units, national government agencies, people’s organization (POs) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 personnel.

The activity aims to reforest a total of 10 hectares in identified areas in the four provinces in the region.

Assorted seedlings of molave, narra, teak, cacao, guyabano and other tree species were planted along road sides, timberland, steam banks and other identified national greening program (NGP) sites in each province.

The sites are Guadalupe, Carcar City; Bondo, Oslob, all in Cebu; Catigbian and San Franscisco, Talibon, all in Bohol; Manhalip, Negros Oriental; and Larena, Siquijor.

In Cebu City, at least 1,000 Molave (Vitex parviflora) and Nara (Pterocarpus indicus) seedlings with more than three feet in height were planted in the mountain barangay of Taptap.

A total of 200 volunteers participated in the activity including officials from the National Telecommunications Commission 7, local government units, and other stakeholders.

The Arbor Day which comes from the Latin word “arbor” meaning tree is a yearly activity by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 396 on June 2, 2003 and Republic Act 10176 or the Arbor Day Act of 2012.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo, in a statement, earlier urged all sectors including government-owned and controlled corporations, private sectors schools and civil society groups to participate in a tree planting and take part in the annual observance every June 25.

Montejo said the event takes a deeper and more significant meaning as the country braces for the destructive effects of climate change like extreme weather patterns, sea level rise and increase in temperature.

“Forests are home to more than half of all species living on land and help slow global warming by storing and sequestering carbon, sources of wood products, help regulate local and regional rainfall,” he said.

Montejo said forests are crucial sources of food, medicine, clean drinking water and immense recreational, aesthetic and spiritual benefits for millions of people.

Montejo said the activity is very timely as the weather bureau already declared the start of the rainy season which will allow the newly-planted seedlings to grow and survive.

“The observance is consistent with the NGP which is a priority of President Benigno S. Aquino III in an effort to bring back the lost forest cover of the country,” said Montejo.

On February 24, 2011, President Aquino issued Executive Order (EO) 26 declaring the implementation of the NGP as a government priority program.

It seeks to plant 1.5 billion seedlings in 1.5 million hectares of public lands nationwide in six years, from 2011 to 2016.

This is more than twice the government’s accomplishment for the past 25 years, of about 730,000 hectares. (PNA) CTB/EB/PR/EDS