Capitol Organizes Week-long Celebration For Earth Day

Believing in the cause brought by Earth Day, the Cebu Provincial Government supports the upcoming event through a week-long celebration.

Capitol, through the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), already held a forum and mounted an awareness exhibit at the Capitol Social Hall last April 18.

The forum focused on solid waste management and the continuous damage caused by El Niño. The conservation and sustainable projects for agriculture, soil management, bio-intensive gardening and insurance program for the farmers and fishermen were also brought up.

Earth Day is a movement founded in America, which is meant to increase the awareness among people about the environment. Its aim is to preserve and protect the remaining natural resources and restore the destroyed ones.

For 46 years, Earth Day spread to more than 180 countries with thousands of entities from different sectors supporting the cause. This year, it carries the theme, “Trees for the Earth”.

“This is more than a lifetime commitment. Months and days count. Everyday must always be an Earth Day,” said Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Head Baltazar Tribunalo J. during the forum.

Most of the forum participants suggested to the Cebu Provincial Government to prepare immediate seeds for the farmers, which are ready for planting not just during the height of El Niño but also during the rainy season.

According to the Provincial Agriculturist Office, the budget for seeds is not a problem. The main concern is the limited supply of seeds, especially corn.

They have found additional seeds from Mindanao but the quantity is still limited. The department assured the local government units that they are still looking and finding solution to this matter.

The exhibit at the Capitol dome, which will end on April 22, features various projects regarding environment conservation, the image of the current situation of the agricultural aspects, water resources and other environmental matters.

To conclude Capitol’s week-long celebration of the Earth Day, a mangrove planting will be conducted at Barangay Calajo-an, Minglanilla on April 22, the date set for Earth Day. CLDR/Rizza Dibdib (CNU Intern)

www.cebu.gov.ph